Bluffs and Bayous December 2010 Issue

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Musings . . .

From the Desk of the Publisher

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elcome to December and its thirty-one days filled with magic, hope, and love. For us it is a reminder of how thankful we are to share our region’s stories with so many people in such a positive way. The family of Bluffs & Bayous is thankful to all of our writers, readers, and advertisers who have avidly endorsed our endeavors for ten years; and as we celebrate our ten-year anniversary, we are humbled by your continuing open-hearted and enthusiastic support. We are appreciative of the many readers who look forward to our monthly publication in central, southwest, and east Mississippi and southeast Louisiana and rally with eager anticipation to our distribution sites where owners and managers welcome us each month, affirming, “Glad you are here—dozens have stopped in looking for

your magazine!” Finally, we are blessed with the pool of professionals who enjoy working together to produce your Bluffs & Bayous.

As our holiday gift to all of you, we open our homes and kitchens in selecting to share some of our favorite family holiday recipes—many explaining the treasured traditions that engendered them and others offering generations-tested cooking tips.

All are from our hearts and homes to yours as we wish you a blessed season of holy days and celebrations in our life along and beyond the Mississippi.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

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C o n t r i b u t o r s

Columnist Dr. Gary R. Bachman is an assistant extension professor of horticulture at Mississippi State University’s Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Columnist Mary Emrick is the owner of Turning Pages Books and More in Natchez, Mississippi.

Columnist Ross McGehee, a lifelong resident of Natchez, Mississippi, owns a diversified and far-flung farm operation.

on the cover Featured on the cover are recorded musicians, who from a labor of love, performed beloved yuletide hymns and melodies traditionally sung in church during the Advent season onto a CD. A St. Francis Christmas is composed of Margaret Weathersby, Susan Smith, Jeff Phillips, Bill Phillips, Kathy Phillips and Anne Meeks from Brookhaven, Mississippi.

Photograph by Joanna Sproles, artistic design by Van O’Gwin of Van’s Photography. See story page 25.

Columnist Alma Womack lives on Smithland Plantation on Black River, south of Jonesville, Louisiana. In addition to her duties as maitresse des maison, she is the keeper of the lawn, the lane and the pecan orchard at Smithland.

publisher Cheryl Foggo Rinehart editors Jean Nosser Biglane Cheryl Foggo Rinehart graphic designers Jan Ratcliff Anita Schilling staff photographers Cheryl Rinehart Van O’Gwin Elise D. Parker sales staff Freddie Biglane Jean Biglane Kristen Meehan Cheryl Rinehart Donna Sessions JoAnna Sproles

Freddie Biglane

Jean Biglane

Kristen Meehan

Cheryl Rinehart

Donna Sessions

JoAnna Sproles

Bluffs & Bayous is published monthly to promote the greater Southern area of Louisiana and Mississippi area in an informative and positive manner. We welcome contributions of articles and photos; however, they will be subject to editing and availability of space and subject matter. Photographs, comments, questions, subscription requests and ad placement inquiries are invited! Return envelopes and postage must accompany all materials submitted if a return is requested. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Bluffs & Bayous are those of the authors or columnists and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, nor do they constitute an endorsement of products or services herein.

We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement. Bluffs & Bayous strives to insure the accuracy of our magazine’s contents. However, should inaccuracies or omissions occur, we do not assume responsibility.

office

423 Main Street, Suite 7 Natchez, MS 39120 601-442-6847 | fax 601-442-6842 info@bluffsbayous.com editor@bluffsbayous.com sales@bluffsbayous.com www.bluffsbayous.com

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December 2010 FEATURES “Do You Hear What I Hear?”...................................................................... 25 Sharing the Season’s Delights................................................................. 26-42 Go Green for the Holidays...................................................................... 44-45 From the Kitchens of Cheryl’s Family & Friends.................................... 46-50

FAVORITES

Sharing the Season’s Delights pages 26 - 42

All Outdoors Keeping Up with the Joneses................................................................. 12-13

Events December . . . Up and Coming!.............................................................. 60-68

From the Stacks A Double Take on Southern Christmas Traditions.................................... 8-9

In the Garden Pansies Provide Winter Color...................................................................... 23

Southern Sampler Winter Colds and Christmas Memoirs.................................................... 52-53

Go Green for the Holidays pages 44 - 45

THE Social Scene Lincoln County Distinguished Young Women Program....................... 10-11 Brookhaven Little Theatre Annual Membership Party......................... 20-22 Mistletoe Shopping in McComb.................................................................. 24 1st Annual Purple Dress Run and Pub Crawl.............................................. 51 May & Company Announces New Partners........................................... 54-55 Holiday Cookie Swap................................................................................... 56 Brookhaven High School Homecoming Dance...................................... 70-71 Brookhaven Animal Rescue League Celebrity Dinner.......................... 72-73 VAA Fall Art Show Reception...................................................................... 74

Weddings and Engagements Champagne Brunch/Shower for Lauren Gay......................................... 14-16

From the Kitchens of Cheryl’s Family & Friends pages 46 - 50 Bluffs & Bayous { December 2010 { Page 7

From the Stacks |

review by Mary Emrick with the aid of Donna Harrison

A Double Take on Southern Christmas Traditions Christmas Memories from Mississippi edited by Judy Tucker and Charline McCord, illustrated by Wyatt Waters A Piggly Wiggly Christmas by Robert Dalby

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eed something to lighten your heart or boost your Christmas spirit? Pick up a copy of Christmas Memories from Mississippi edited for University Press of Mississippi by Charline McCord and Judy Tucker with illustrations by Wyatt Waters. If that doesn’t fill you with the joy of the season then Robert Dalby’s newest book, A Piggly Wiggly Christmas, published

by Putnam Publishers, may be the stimulus you need in order to put a smile on your

face and a skip in your step. Both books are filled with the shared Christmas traditions Mississippians love to perpetuate.

Christmas Memories from Mississippi includes thirty-eight essays written by fellow Mississippians of varied backgrounds. Talented musicians, artists, ministers, educators, authors, and other famous personalities all contribute their favorite Christmas memories to make this book come alive. Their recollections work to unify readers of many different backgrounds with shared Southern traditions. Including both secular and spiritual memories, many of the stories share common threads. I found something in almost every story that reminded me of my childhood Christmases in Natchez.

Wyatt Waters and Carolyn Haines include in their stories the tradition of children gathering pecans to sell for Christmas money, a common task of many Mississippi children. Carolyn Haines teases the reader with memories of Christmas kitchens busy with the preparations of cookies, candies, and cakes. Her fruitcake recipe is almost a duplicate of the ones my grandmother made. Carolyn and I know that while most people regard fruitcakes with disdain, the fruitcakes from our grandmothers’ kitchens were delicious and something to treasure.

Mary Ann Mobley relays every parent’s dilemma of securing the elusive most popular toy of the season for Santa’s list.

Bishop Duncan Gray and Will Campbell add the spiritual spice to the collection with stories of a religious nature. Stories of how Christmases were altered during World War II, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War, written by Will Campbell, Billy Bridges and Bev Marshall, remind us not every Christmas we celebrate is joyous.

My favorite story is the one by Richard Howorth, owner of Oxford’s Square Books.

His story about Christmas Eve will appeal to readers who work in retail during the Christmas season. It will also appeal to the bookstore devotee. Howorth’s Christmas

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Eve in his bookstore describes our day at Turning Pages almost exactly. We love Christmas Eve in the shop!

The fourth book in the Robert Dalby series, A Piggly Wiggly Christmas, returns the reader to the quaint delta town of Second Creek, Mississippi, with Hale Dunbar, the former owner of the Piggly Wiggly grocery store, as the new mayor.

The big Mega Market off the interstate is draining away business from the historic town square; and as in previous Piggly Wiggly books, the Nitwits, members of a ladies social club, come to the rescue.

Gaylie Girl Dunbar, approaches her husband about having all of the area church choirs sing Christmas carols around

the square on Christmas Eve. Mayor Dunbar agrees this might be the thing to help revitalize the town square; but just as everything seems to be falling into place, an electrical fire damages numerous old buildings located on the square. With only a week until Christmas, will the Nitwits succumb to defeat? Don’t count on it.

Charline McCord of Clinton, Mississippi, is Training and Technical Assistance Coordinator for the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention’s Southeast Regional Expert Team. Judy Tucker works as a freelance editor and lives in Jackson, Mississippi. Wyatt Waters is Mississippi’s premier watercolorist and lives in and owns Waters Gallery in Clinton Mississippi.

Robert Dalby is a Natchez native who presently lives in Oxford, Mississippi. He studied English and creative writing at Sewanee. A Piggly Wiggly Christmas is his fourth book in the series.

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THE Social Scene

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Lincoln County Distinguished Young Women Program

he Lincoln County Distinguished Young Women Program was recently held at Southwest Community College in Summit, Mississippi.

High school junior girls, representing many schools in Lincoln County, competed for prizes and scholarship money. The program’s winner was Emily Lowery, the daughter of Celeste and Pat Lowery of Brookhaven, Mississippi, and a student at both the Mississippi School of the Arts and Brookhaven High School.

Jordan Henning, Jessie Claire Henning, Carey Crozier, and Paige Smith

Kelly Rake, Sara Rodgers Smith, and Sloane Smith

Nyia Sterling, Emily Lowery, Kellye Sicks, and Ellen Doty

Shelby Case, Ashley Mezzanares, and Emily Freeman

Wendy Hall, Anna Kate Hall, Anne Brantley Warren, and Angie Warren

Jillian Sicks, Ashley Stephens, and Kellye Sicks

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THE Social Scene

Alex Calhoun, Alex Craig, and Ellen Doty

Lily Gray and Leigh Cher Gray

Ivey Stillinger, Katie Howell, Jessie Patel, and Andie Netherland

Jacob Philipp, J. B. Perkins, Will Lucas, Dillon Newell, Drew Jones, Escort Director Lori Perkins, Ruffin Oberschmidt, Dylan Farris, Jake Shelby, Daniel Davis, and Brooks Foster

Jordan Shaw and Shelby Peavey

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All Outdoors | by Ross McGehee

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Keeping Up with the Joneses

y all accounts it must have looked like a scene straight out of an episode of The Dukes of Hazzard. The Jones family was holed up in a motel room, about to be caught red handed in an illegal activity, and Grandpa was doing his best to keep the federal agents at the door distracted so they would not force entry. It’s funny now but it wasn’t then.

It happens too often.

Something as wholesome and therapeutic as hunting or fishing can be taken advantage of by a few folks who tend to bend the law when they think no one is looking. Only when the heat gets turned up, do they vow to mend their ways. And they sometimes d—at least until the next opportunity to err presents itself. Such was the case with the Jones family.

Obviously, “Jones” is not the correct name for the subject group; but given the circumstances, it is wise to leave them anonymous. Actually, any number of people will probably be given credit by various readers for the following events, and that’s what makes it amusing. That’s what’s called a disclaimer, I think.

Anyway, the Jones men had been invited to a dove hunt in Lafayette County, put on by friends of the lawyer member of the clan. It was a very productive outing to say the least.

The field was carefully prepared to entice birds to visit, the gate had been locked to prevent visits from any stray constables, and only the dwindling supply of ammunition curtailed the hunt. Reports were that several shoulders were black and blue from constant shooting. Any injuries of that nature were probably well deserved. LOTS of doves were picked up from the field. No exact numbers here; let’s just say just “lots.”

Since the Joneses had traveled far from home, they had rented two motel rooms in Oxford for the weekend. “Lots” of doves were transported to the motel for lack of a better place to deal with them. A large sheet of plastic was spread across the floor of one of the motel rooms, and the grandsons in the group were assigned the task of “picking” and “cleaning” the large pile of birds. Their father, uncle, and grandfather reportedly offered advice but not much more. About two hours into the chore, Grandpa decided to step outside for a breath of fresh air.

Ironically, part of that break for fresh air included lighting up a cigar.

Standing outside a motel room, grandsons inside working through a toolarge pile of doves, smoking a cigar and minding his own business, Grandpa was startled to hear his name called from a distance. He looked out into the parking lot and saw two old acquaintances approaching and knew that he had trouble! Both were Federal Game Wardens! Both had been assigned to come follow up on reports of illegal hunting activity in the area and had come up empty for the morning. They were returning to the motel to rest and regroup before the afternoon surveillance.

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It bears mentioning that Grandpa was a longtime state employee. His position was such that he had been exposed to any number of state and federal employees at various functions and was reasonably well known, especially in law enforcement circles. So it should come as no surprise that some old buddies would come over to speak. The problem was with how well they knew him.

Everybody that knew Grandpa knew that it didn’t matter where he was, there was some bourbon stashed nearby.

And to be standing in front of a motel room, the obvious conclusion was that it was stashed right behind him. Two federal agents, trained in interrogation, were getting progressively frustrated with Grandpa’s evasive answers as to why he was in town and why it seemed for the first time in thirty years he didn’t have a bottle of hospitality to share with old friends.

They knew darn well that he was hiding something but didn’t know why.

On the other hand, three teen-aged boys and their adult supervisors were in the motel room doing their best to deal with a mountain of evidence. They had heard the conversation outside and wondered whom in the world Grandpa was talking to. Peaking out of the blinds to check, all they could see was BADGES! This ain’t good! Nowhere to hide themselves or the birds, not daring to make a sound for fear of detection, they sat for an hour and a half, covered with feathers and blood, unable to speak, cough, or flush the toilet, listening as Grandpa spun one story after another right outside their door, trying to distract the feds.

The agents, though, weren’t having it. They insisted that Grandpa had some hooch close by and that he was not being

much of a Southern Gentleman by refusing to share it. Grandpa claimed not to have a room. He claimed to have gone “on the wagon.” He claimed to have an ulcer. He WAS developing a case of the shakes!

Inside the room the crew had decided to work on damage control. Pillows had been pulled from their cases and put high in the closet. Feathers had been stuffed into the cases, very quietly, and then placed back under the sheets. Whole birds were put into the toilet and the lid lowered over them.

Cleaned birds were put into the tank while others were put below the bottom drawers of the dresser. Shotguns had been taken into the bathroom and quickly cleaned with a motel washcloth, then oiled to mask the smell of having been used. Plastic floor covering, still containing debris, was very carefully and quietly folded and placed between the mattresses and box springs of both beds.

Grandpa was still holding forth outside the door. The agents had pinned him down in conversation, figuring to wear him down or give him time to trip himself in his story.

It wasn’t working and they still weren’t getting whiskey. Who was going to break first? Was Grandpa going to just walk off and lead them away or were they ever going to go back out on assignment? Were they going to correctly deduce that his car was parked directly in front of his room or were they going to accept that it was just there circumstantially? It didn’t help that Grandpa’s car keys were in the room so he couldn’t open the trunk to get to his bottle or even drive away! He had a hard time with explaining exactly why his keys were not readily available: “Grandsons must have taken them when they left that morning. . . . Don’t really know which room we’re staying in. . . . Yeah, I’ve been waiting for those scamps all day. I’m gonna KILL them.”

Finally, the diuretic effect of the iced tea that the agents had with their lunch was stronger than the bonds of friendship and they chose to depart. Grandpa, of course, could not enter any room or drive away while the agents were on the premises so he wandered off into the motel lobby to

pretend to wait some more and hope that he didn’t meet anyone else that he knew.

The afternoon hunt was already underway by the time the Mexican standoff was over. But the Jones family was not much interested in hunting at the time.

Clearing out of town was a lot more inviting than sticking around. There was not much appeal in the doves that had been stuffed in the toilet for hours, or the ones that had been in the dust under dresser drawers without refrigeration for quite some time.

Not much could be salvaged from their labors. It was a long trip home that night and instead of dove breasts wrapped in bacon, the family ate a lot of crow.

On top of all that, one has to speculate what a maid thought when she came to change the sheets the next morning! Yuck!

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Weddings t Engagements t Weddings t Engagements Champagne Brunch/Shower for Lauren Gay

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mid strings of paper hearts, bunches of white tulle, and splashes of lime green and cobalt blue glass, Lauren Gay, bride-elect of Paul Rohrer, was honored with a champagne brunch/shower on October 23 in the home of Donna Saunders in Vicksburg. Welcoming guests with their choice of breakfast cocktail were the hostesses: Dana Klimas, Chris Patin, Donna Saunders, Anita Schilling, Susan Stewart, and Ronda Wolfe. After a feast of muffins, quiches, casseroles, fruits and—for Vicksburg—the inevitable tomato sandwiches, visitors had plenty of time to chat and mingle. Cake and coffee were served as Lauren opened the shower gifts from her many friends and family. In the afternoon on November 6, the couple exchanged vows on the front porch of the Gay ancestral home before close family and friends.

Lauren Gay, Roxanne Gay, Dolores Rohrer, Cecilia Sampayo and Vivi Rohrer

Roxanne Gay, Lauren Gay, Lindsey Gay, and Ruth Gay

Front—Krystal Norris and Robin Greer; back—Alice Jones and Holly Jones

Roxanne Gay and Susan Crawley

Ashley Ditto, Karen Denham, Susie Ditto, Jessica Faulkner, and Krystal Norris

Roxanne Gay, Karen Denham, and Susie Ditto

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Weddings t Engagements t Weddings t Engagements

Ann Hand, Nasus Robb, and Lauren Gay

Leanne Pettway, Ashley Ditto, and Lindsey Gay

Amber Taylor and Cat Rowan

Dolores Rohrer and Donna Burris

Agnes Mitchell and Ruth Gay

Lauren Gay and Lindsey Gay

Colby Hopkins and Teresa Hopkins

Leanne Pettway and Laurie Malik

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Weddings t Engagements t Weddings t Engagements

Holly Allen, Jessica Faulkner, Ashley Ditto, and Krystal Norris

Anita Schilling, Chris Patin, Ronda Wolfe, Lauren Gay, Dana Klimas, Donna Saunders, and Susan Stewart

Roselynn Middleton and Debbie Gorney

Lori Flanagan and Suzanne Allen

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THE Social Scene Brookhaven Little Theatre Annual Membership Party

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he Brookhaven Little Theatre opened its doors to the new play season with its annual Membership Party in mid-October where guests enjoyed food and live entertainment.

The theatre’s 2010-2011 venue includes Godspell (November), Shiloh Rules (February), and the musical Willy Wonka (April/May). Maurice Gaskin received the John Landress Award, presented annually to an outstanding BLT volunteer.

Sarah Lloyd, Shirley Estes, Mark Mathis, and Terry Britt

James Ezell, Zach Ezell, and Buffy Ezell

Dott Cannon, Merrie Boerner, and Pat Jacobs

Sherri Mathis, Tracy Barnett, and T. A. Boyd

Merrie Boerner, Bill Boerner, Mary D. Corkern, and Bill Corkern

John Landress with Landress Award winner Maurice Gaskin and Heather Thurgood

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Doug and Kellye Sicks

Don and Darlene Sicks

Heather Thurgood and William Durr

John Landress and Johanna Russell

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Woody Breeland and Beth Breeland

Carole Bennett and Norma Hill

Maurice Gaskin and Betty Ruth Gaskin

Jana Russell and Greg Russell

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In the Garden | story and photos by Dr. Gary R. Bachman

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Pansies Provide Winter Color

inter is upon us, and many Mississippians have begun putting their gardens to bed, waiting for the warm days of early spring.

However, just because it is getting colder doesn’t mean we must have drab landscapes.

Now is the perfect time to put some winter color in gardens, and I’m not talking about ornamental cabbage and kale.

I am sure you have seen brightly colored pansies while visiting your favorite garden center, and those pansies are a great way to add color to your winter garden. They are tough, cold tolerant, and flower almost nonstop.

Pansies are known botanically as Viola wittrockiana and have a four- to ten-inch tall, mounding growth habit. Many different cultivars and selections are available in a virtual rainbow of colors. Older selections have multicolored flowers ranging from yellow and purple to blue and white. The color blotches can make the flowers appear to have faces that give pansies a playful, jovial personality.

A newer pansy mix that has performed well in Mississippi is the Coastal Sunrise mix from the Matrix series. The Coastal Sunrise plants are loaded with large, colorful flowers, held high above the plant, producing a terrific landscape display. The plants branch quickly, increasing the number of flowers.

A newly developed and really incredible pansy has been introduced this year. Called Plentifall, these pansies have a spreading and trailing growth habit. They are vigorous growers that should have good winter hardiness in Mississippi. They are perfect for use in hanging baskets and are a great spiller plant for fall and winter combination baskets. Consider combining them with either poinsettia or cyclamen in patio containers for the upcoming holiday season. Plentifall pansies are available in local garden centers, but the supply may be limited this year.

When planting pansies in the landscape, prepare the soil as you would for summerflowering annuals. Amend the soil with organic matter and add a couple of pounds of a good, controlled-release

The newly developed Plentifall pansies have a spreading and trailing growth habit. They are vigorous growers that should have good winter hardiness in Mississippi.

fertilizer to maintain nutrition for the extended garden performance of pansies.

Keep the planting beds evenly moist, even in the cold temperatures of winter.

Pansies may actually be the perfect winter-flowering annual. The plants can freeze solid and thaw with little damage.

Cold weather may cause the leaves to get a slight purplish tinge, and the flowering will slow down or stop completely. However, once the temperature gets a little warmer, the flowering will get revved up again.

Pansies come in a virtual rainbow of colors, ranging from yellow and purple to blue and white.

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THE Social Scene Mistletoe Shopping in McComb

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everal downtown shops in McComb, Mississippi, recently opened their doors after regular business hours for some “Mistletoe and Magic,” treating patrons to snacks, drinks, music, and bargains.

Kelly Parker, Cyrena Austin, and Beth Blossman

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Carolyn Ray

Deanna Martin and Linda Young

“Do You HearWhat I Hear?”

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his lyrical title heralds the sounds of Christmas—coming just around the corner!

For a group of Brookhaven musicians, a shared love of yuletide song has transformed this hallowed hymn and other magical melodies into a collection of seasonal performances perfect for Advent.

A St. Francis Christmas is the caption for this new CD featuring vocal performances by several communicants of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Brookhaven, Mississippi, along with their accompanists Anne Meeks and Steve Russell, and their own instrumental performances on guitar and bass.

The project was a labor of love for the choristers that include Bill Phillips and his wife, Kathy; his sister, Susan Smith; their nephew Jeff Phillips; and close family friend Margaret Weathersby.

Most of the members of this musical ensemble began working together in the church’s youth ministry in the early 1980s. About this same time they were also asked to organize and perform the Christmas Eve Mass liturgy for the congregation of St. Francis.

Their annual compilation of traditional carols, anthems, and hymns has become a congregational favorite.

In fact, so popular has this repertoire become that the ensemble has had scores of requests for recordings. This year the group decided to bow to pressure and create a CD with the proceeds benefiting the church.

“These Christmas songs have become a tradition at our Christmas Eve Mass at St. Francis, Brookhaven,” explains Bill Phillips. “We have kept it simple, as close to life as possible,” he said of the CD. “It is our hope,” he added, “that as you listen, these songs bring back happy thoughts of Christmases past and help us all keep in mind, during the busy Christmas season, that a baby was born for us, our Savior, Jesus Christ.”

A St. Francis Christmas features traditional songs of the season, including “O Holy Night,” “Do You Hear What I Hear,” “The Holly and the Ivy,” and “Still, Still, Still,” as well as a few more modern pieces such as “Breath of Heaven” and “Forever I Will Sing.”

More information about the CD is available from the St. Francis church office, 601-833-1799, or it may be purchased at It’s Serendipity in downtown Brookhaven, at Dr. Mark Smith’s office in Brookhaven, or at the Carmelite Gift Shop on Terry Road in south Jackson, Mississippi.

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Season’s Delight s M S h a r i n g t he

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from all of us—Jean, Cheryl, Donna, JoAnna, Alma, Mary, Connie, Kristen, Jan, Anita, Van, Freddie, and Elise—here at Bluffs & Bayous magazine. We hope you

will discover something new, different, and fun to whip up from our kitchens that will be the perfect dish to bake and serve or give to

your family and friends to celebrate the season. We have enjoyed

preparing these favorite, much-loved recipes for you to adopt, adapt, and even adore in the years to come.

Nannie’s Candy Visions of Sugar Plums and Candy are a part of my Christmas Memories. My grandmother, Pauline King Bassett, used to make homemade candy. She learned by working with Miss Lou Williamson (called “cousin-daught” by locals) from Edwards, Mississippi. The famous Lou’s Candy Kitchen sat on Old Highway 80 West (before Interstate 20 ran through the area) and was the most famous candy kitchen in the South. Nannie, as we referred to her, learned to make all sorts of sweet delights working with Miss Lou. When she and my grandfather, Jim (Poppie) Bassett, moved to Natchez, Mississippi, he built her a small candy kitchen on Highway 61 North. It still sits there today as a used car business. She whipped out homemade candy for the public for many years and then gave it up due to the demands of her family. However, she continued to make candy and give sweet treats to everyone each year. There would be tins of fudge, divinity and pecan pralines and jars of peanut brittle. There would be wax paper rolls of date loaf; and if anyone wanted a fruit cake from her brother’s bakery (Al’s Pastry Shop) in Clarksdale, Mississippi, she would arrange for that order, for we always received those in the mail each Christmas.

—Cheryl Rinehart

Opposite — Right —

Traditional Christmas Wishes from Jean

Holiday Cheers from Mike and Cheryl Bluffs & Bayous { December 2010 { Page 27

2 teaspoons vanilla 2 cups nuts Mix sugar, salt, cocoa. Add Karo and milk. Stir over heat until boiling. Cook until mixture reaches soft ball stage (about 236 degrees). Remove from heat, and add butter and vanilla. Cool. Add nuts, beat, and pour out into thin pan. Let set. Cool and then cut in squares.

–Cheryl Rinehart Peanut Brittle 3 cups sugar 1 cup Karo 1/2 cup butter 1 quart raw peanuts (shelled) 1 teaspoon soda Pinch salt Combine sugar, butter and Karo. Bring to a boil and add peanuts and salt. Cook to 300 degrees. Add soda and pour out onto marble slab. Cool and then break into pieces and store in airtight jar.

–Cheryl Rinehart

Pralines 4 cups sugar 1 cup milk (Carnation) Pinch soda 1/2 cup Karo Pinch salt 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup butter 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 - 3 tablespoons marshmallow cream 1 quart pecans halves Caramelize* the sugar and add a little water. Cook sugar, Karo, and milk until it boils. Pour the Karo mixture and milk into the caramelized sugar. Cook to about 236 degrees and remove from heat. Add butter, vanilla, marshmallow cream, soda, salt, and pecan halves. Cool to about 215 degrees.

Beat (I mean really STIR IT!) until creamy, and drop by teaspoons onto wax paper. *Caramelize: Cook sugar, stirring constantly, in a small skillet until it melts.

Add a little water.

–Cheryl Rinehart Chocolate Fudge 9 cups sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup cocoa 2 1/4 cups Karo 2 1/4 cups milk (1 can evaporated, rest in whole milk) 1 1/2 sticks butter

Divinity 3 cups sugar 1/2 cup water 3/4 cup Karo 2/3 cup egg whites 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon vanilla Pinch salt Combine sugar, Karo, and water and cook to 250 degrees. Combine egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat egg whites; add salt and vanilla. Pour Karo mixture over egg whites, slowly. Beat about 10 minutes.

Place in top of double boiler and steam for about 15 minutes. Add nuts; drop on wax paper with a teaspoon. (Make this only on a low humidity day!!)

–Cheryl Rinehart Date Loaf 4 cups sugar 1/4 cup Karo 2 cups milk 2 pounds dates (cut up) 1 tablespoon butter Pinch salt 1 cup nuts 1 jar candied cherries (chopped fine) Cook and stir sugar, milk, and Karo until boiling. Add 2 pounds of dates cut in half.

Cook to 236 degrees. Remove from heat.

Add butter and pinch of salt. Let cool, adding nuts and beating before it hardens. After it hardens, add drained cherries chopped fine.

Knead like dough and roll in damp cloth.

Wrap in wax paper to store in refrigerator.

–Cheryl Rinehart

Good Candy

Nannie’s Tips for Making

• Have the correct cooking equipment: Candy thermometer Heavy-duty sauce pans with flat bottoms used only for candy Heavy-duty cooking sheets to handle the heat Double boiler • Cook candy at correct temperature.

• Follow instructions carefully.

• Do not force cooking period.

Let fudge cool slowly.

• When stirring pralines, stir until creamy to reach the proper consistency.

• Be cautious of the weather.

High humidity days are not good for making candy.

• Have plenty of wax paper and aluminum foil on hand.

• For pouring out brittle, use a marble slab or hard, smooth stone surface.

• Have patience.

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••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Holiday Baklava My sister-in-law Yvonne Nosser taught me, hands on, one afternoon when I was a young mother, to make baklava. I believe she learned her technique from one of the masters—our Aunt Bessie Nosser, Mrs. Pete Nosser, Sr., of Vicksburg, Mississippi. To this expert initiation, I added touches of a recipe from Natchez’s Waddad Buttross, our family’s dear friend, a recipe found in her WADDAD’S KITCHEN: LEBANESE ZEST, SOUTHERN BEST. The final test came from John Joseph Nosser, my Lebanese father, whose fine tuning . . . umm . . . tasting brought this recipe to what he considered perfection—which is what I sought since he was the one for whom I began baking baklava. He liked to taste a hint of the lemon’s tartness through the honey, sugary sweetness.

With humility, I share this recipe; for among my many Lebanese family members in Natchez and Vicksburg and throughout these towns’ Lebanese communities, recipes for tantalizing baklava abound and are as unique as each individual baker.

2 boxes fillo dough, each containing 2 pkgs. of rolled fillo pastry 3 lbs. real butter Pastry brush (not with plastic bristles) 4 tablespoons wheat 7 1/2 cups finely, food-processor chopped pecans 1 1/2 cup sugar 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 1/2 teaspoon cloves 3/4 cup water 3/4 cup honey 2 cups sugar 1/2 cup water 6 to 7 tablespoons lemon juice 13” x 18” x 2” deep, heavy baking pan Half recipe for 9” x 13” x 2” baking pan.

Place 2 boxes fillo dough, each holding 2 packages (about 20 sheets per package) of rolled fillo pastry sheets, in the refrigerator the day before making baklava if they have been in the freezer. [I always prepare more to use than needed in case one of the rolled packages is too flaky to work with.] When ready to prepare the baklava, unwrap one of the packages of dough and carefully roll out the stacked sheets of dough until flat. Cut all at once to size of pan—you may have to slightly overlap the sheets of dough as you place them side by side in the pan to create each layer.

To begin layering the dough in the pan, using a pastry brush, cover the sides and bottom of the pan with *rendered butter. Then arrange one layer of dough across the entire bottom of the buttered pan, and brush that layer with the rendered butter. If the sheets tear, cover the tear with a “repair piece” and butter to seal. Repeat this layering of one sheet of dough and brushing it with butter 15 to 20 times. Each time after you layer a sheet of dough, cover the remaining layers of dough that you have rolled out with a very slightly damp dish towel. If the dough dries too much, it will flake away; if it gets too moist, it becomes goo!

With your hands, press down and around on these 15 to 20 individually arranged and buttered fillo layers to get all the air pockets out—the butter will ooze out and up the sides. Carefully spread the **filling evenly on top and pat down all the way to the sides of the pan. Then butter the top of the filling and repeat the individually arranged and buttered fillo layers for15 to 20 top layers.

Happy Holidays from Jean

Holiday Baklava

Bluffs & Bayous { December 2010 { Page 29

Old-Fashioned Plum Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

With a very sharp knife, score (cut) the dough into diamond shapes, cutting all the way through the layers to the bottom of pan. [To score into two-bite-sized diamond shapes to pick up by hand and eat, place pan with long sides horizontally in front of you, and cut top to bottom about 1 to 1/4 inches apart. Then, beginning in lower left corner, cut diagonally. For larger, dessertsized servings, score in larger widths.]

Center pan on middle rack in preheated 450˚ oven and bake approximately 8 minutes until the top fillo layers are just slightly browned; then turn oven to 275˚ and bake approximately 1 to 11/2 hours until top is golden brown. Remove from oven, place on a cooling rack, and slowly spoon ***syrup down the scored lines and sides of pan. You want the baklava to be really moist but not saturated and drippy, so you may not need all the syrup. Syrup will soak in somewhat as the baklava cools.

Once the baklava has cooled, re-score it in the same places to make removing the individual pieces a bit easier. Store the pieces in an air-tight container until ready to use. Full recipe yields about 90 pickup/ one- or two-bite pieces; half recipe yields about 60 pick-up/one- or two-bite pieces. *RENDERED BUTTER Place butter in large pan and slowly melt. Remove from heat and sprinkle wheat over the top of the melted butter.

With a large spoon fold in wheat 5 to 6 turns. Let this sit for 15 to 20 minutes.

Then with large spoon, slowly and carefully skim off the top froth with swollen wheat attached, being careful to dip only below the surface of the froth/ wheat to do this. Do not disturb the

swollen wheat and butter impurities that have settled on the bottom of the pan. **FILLING Thoroughly mix pecans (Use pistachio nuts for authentic Lebanese baklava.), sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and water. ***SYRUP In sauce pan, bring honey, sugar, and water to a boil and boil 15 minutes. Add lemon juice to taste and boil 5 more minutes. Set aside until baklava comes out of the oven.

—Jean LaWare Nosser Biglane Old-Fashioned Plum Pudding with Bourbon Sauce Gourmet cook Viola McNeely Ullman, one of my mother’s sisters and Aunt Sis to us, used this recipe to make plum pudding for our McNeely family Christmas gathering each year—you know, one of those unmistakably Southern, slowly evolving holiday meals, billed as lunch but served closer to mid-afternoon. With its moist, tasty texture, enhanced by a bit of its tipsy sauce, and with its precious memories, it remains my forever favorite Christmas dessert.

1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon ground mace 4 ounces suet (about 1 cup, chopped) 1 cup sugar 2 cups soft bread crumbs (about 4 slices) 2 eggs, well beaten 1/4 cup orange juice 2 heaping tablespoons plum jelly

Page 30 { December 2010 { Bluffs & Bayous

1 cup milk 1 cup dark, seedless raisins 1 cup currants 1/2 cup chopped nuts 1/4 cup finely chopped candied orange peel 1/4 cup finely chopped candied lemon peel Garnish: a sprig or two of holly with berries (Aunt Sis often used the bloom of a Camellia sasanqua or Camelia japonica.)

1. Sift the first 6 ingredients together 3 times; set aside 2. Separate the suet from its membrane, discarding membrane, and chop suet finely. Put into a bowl with sugar, bread crumbs, and beaten eggs. Mix thoroughly. Stir in the orange juice and plum jelly.

3. Adding alternately and mixing thoroughly after each addition, add the dry ingredients in thirds and milk in halves to suet mixture.

4. Mix in raisins, currants, nuts, and candied peels. Turn into a well-greased 2-qt. mold or 2 1-qt. molds. Cover tightly (inside cover greased), or tightly tie greased heavy-duty aluminum foil over top of mold and steam* about 3 hours.

5. Remove pudding to a rack; remove cover and let pudding stand 10 to 20 minutes.

Unmold onto serving plate. Serve with any desired pudding sauce. (If storing pudding, unmold on rack and cool completely before wrapping in foil and setting in a cool place. Heat thoroughly before serving.) About 12 servings. *To steam: Place covered pudding on a rack in a large kettle. Pour in boiling water to no more than one-half of the height of the mold. Cover steamer; bring water to boiling and keep it boiling at all times.

BOURBON SAUCE 1/4 pound unsalted butter 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup boiling water 1 egg 1/4 cup bourbon 1. In top of double boiler, cream butter and sugar together. Beat in boiling water.

2. Cook, stirring constantly over hot water until sugar is dissolved.

3. Beat egg and pour into mixture slowly, stirring continuously for 2 to 3 minutes so that egg does not curdle. (If some curdling occurs, pour sauce through a strainer. Let cool; add bourbon. Sauce must be served warm. Makes 2 cups.

—Jean LaWare Nosser Biglane

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• We usually have non-traditional Christmas dinners. Some years, it is duck gumbo or fried catfish; other times, I’ll prepare chateaubriand or venison roast and mustard greens, or just grill some steaks. Whatever notion strikes, that’s what I’ll do. Two favorite side recipes that go with many meat dishes are a hash brown potato casserole and Spinach Madeleine. A favorite snack is candied pecans, since I am the pecan queen of Black River.

Once you try these recipes, you’ll see that I am a collector of good recipes!

—Alma M. Womack, Smithland Plantation, beautiful Black River Spinach Madeleine 2 packages frozen, chopped spinach 4 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons diced onions 2 tablespoons flour 1/2 cup evaporated milk 1/2 cup reserved spinach liquor 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 3/4 teaspoon celery salt 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt 6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, sliced into 1/4 inch cubes 1 tablespoon minced jalapenos salt and cayenne pepper to taste buttered bread crumbs (optional) Cook spinach according to directions on package. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of liquid. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add onions and sauté 3 to 5 minutes or until wilted.

Whisk in flour, stirring until blended and smooth, but not brown.

Slowly stir in evaporated milk, spinach liquor, and Worcestershire sauce. Stirring constantly, cook mixture until smooth and thick.

Add pepper, celery salt, garlic salt, cheese and jalapenos. Stir until cheese is melted; then combine with cooked spinach. Season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper. The dish may be served immediately. However, the flavor is improved if you put the mixture into a casserole dish, top with buttered bread crumbs, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Just before serving, reheat uncovered in a 350 degree oven until golden brown.

—Recipe courtesy of John Folse Hash Brown Potato Casserole 1 large pakage frozen hash brown potatoes (uncooked) 2 cups sour cream 1 cup whipping cream 1 can cream of chicken soup (Mushroom or celery will do, too.)

1 stick butter 1 medium onion, diced 1 cup grated cheese 1 cup crumbled bacon bread crumbs or cheese for topping Sauté onion in the butter until translucent. “Mix all other ingredients together. Place in a 9” x 12” casserole pan; sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs or more cheese if desired. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 to 45 minutes, or until bubbly.

—Recipe courtesy of my late friend, the excellent cook Loretta Taylor

Hash Brown Potato Casserole

Candied Pecans

Candied Pecans 1/2 cup butter 1 cup brown sugar 4 cups pecans Melt the butter in the microwave and then stir in brown sugar.

Cook 2 minutes, stirring each minute. Then add pecans and microwave 4 minutes, stirring to coat. Spread out to cool. These are quick and easy and delicious. Like Lays Potato Chips, you can’t eat just one.

—Recipe courtesy of Carole Grant Bluffs & Bayous { December 2010 { Page 31

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Enjoy your Holidays with family and friends.

Merry Christmas from Mary

Mammaw’s Christmas Nut Cakes I was given this recipe in 1966 by my Grandmother. It was written on the back of an envelope.

3 sticks of butter softened 3 cups sugar 7 eggs 1 teaspoon nutmeg 4 cups flour 1 heaping teaspoon baking powder 8 cups chopped nuts 2 15-ounce boxes blond raisins 1 pound mixed red and green “candied” cherries 8 cups of chopped pecans 1 1/2 cups whiskey Cream butter and sugar; beat eggs one at a time into the sugar/butter mixture. Mix with your clean hands to combine nutmeg, flour, baking powder, nuts, raisins, and cherries. Add the sugar/butter/egg mixture to the fruit/flour mixture. Add whiskey and mix well. Bake in greased and floured ring pans and/or loaf pans lined with waxed paper. Bake at 300 degrees for 11/2 to 13/4 hours. Cover with towels soaked in whiskey and allow to cool completely in the pans. (If the cakes seem dry, pour more whiskey over the warm cakes.)

To store the cakes (They are best when stored for a minimum of four weeks, but we can never wait that long to cut them.) wrap each cake in a whiskey soaked towel, and place all cakes in a large air-tight container with fresh, sliced apples.

—Mary Emrick Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie CRUST 1 2/3 cups graham cracker crumbs 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup softened butter Combine graham crumbs, butter and sugar in a bowl, and blend well using a fork or pastry blender. Pour crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie plate.

Distribute evenly. Press crumbs into pan firmly using an 8-inch pie plate or your fingers, making an even layer. Bake in a 375 degree oven 8 minutes.

Allow to cool before filling.

FILLING 1 package (8 ounce) softened cream cheese 1 can (15 ounce) Eagle Brand condensed milk 1/3 cup lemon juice 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 can blueberry pie filling (Lucky Leaf or Comstock) Whip cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually add Eagle Brand, continuing to beat until well blended. Add lemon juice and vanilla; blend well. Pour into graham cracker crust. Chill for a minimum of 2 to 3 hours. Add refrigerated blueberry pie filling to the top of the cream cheese pie before slicing.

—Mary Emrick Corn Casserole 6 eggs 3/4 cup milk 1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs (I use Progresso.)

3 cans (17 ounce) cream corn 3/4 cup melted butter

Page 32 { December 2010 { Bluffs & Bayous

3/4 cup grated carrots 3/4 cup chopped bell pepper 3 tablespoons chopped celery 3 tablespoons chopped onions 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese Combine eggs and milk; beat until blended. Add bread crumbs; set aside until all of the liquid is absorbed. Add remaining ingredients, excluding cheese, to the bread crumb mixture, stirring well. Spoon the mixture into a greased 9” x 13” casserole dish.

Bake 60 minutes at 350 degrees. Sprinkle with cheese while hot.

Serves 12 to 15.

—Mary Emrick ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Onion Soup This soup is always a big hit at our Christmas table. We serve it family style in a large tureen. To the side we offer toasted French bread, rubbed lightly with fresh garlic and raw onion, then topped with Gruyere or other Swiss cheese. A quick, last minute run back into the oven melts the cheese to a gooey loveliness and heats up the already toasted bread. Serving it to the side keeps the bread from becoming soggy. Fabulous as a first course, it’s a relaxing, light treat on its own. No French bread? Then serve it Brennan’s style with garlic croutons.

3 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 pounds onions, peeled, cut in half, and thinly sliced 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon sugar 3 tablespoons flour 1 quart chicken stock 1 quart beef stock 1 cup dry red wine 1 bay leaf 1/2 teaspoon dried sage 1/4 cup cognac or brandy, optional 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional Salt and pepper, to taste Melt butter with oil in heavy pot; stir in onions and thyme. Cover pan and cook over moderate heat until onions are translucent, 15 minutes or so. Uncover and add sugar and salt. Sauté uncovered on moderately high heat until well browned, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat stock to just below a boil.

Remove about 1/3 of the onions and reserve. Lower heat to moderate, and stir in flour and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, lightly browning flour. Add about a cup of the hot stock to flour and onion mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk to blend.

Add wine, rest of stock, bay leaf, and sage. Simmer for about 45 minutes. (May be made ahead to this point. Refrigerate for up to two days, or freeze.)

If desired, add cognac or brandy to soup tureen. Pour hot soup with reserved onions into tureen. Sprinkle top with optional Parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

—Kristen Meehan

Merry Christmas from Kristen

French Onion Soup

Bluffs & Bayous { December 2010 { Page 33

Mandy’s Meatloaf I have to say, I am lucky to have four wonderful sisters-in-law whom I can also call friends. Mandy is the oldest (wisest, I mean) of the four. She is an excellent cook and baker—a combination that is not always easy to find. This recipe is her version of meatloaf, which is the best I have eaten because it is both sweet and savory!

Before submitting this recipe, I had to call her to get the right measurements because the recipe I had written down was missing some of the exact amounts. When I asked her, she had to think and dictate them to me . . . because she really did not have an exact recipe to follow. Mandy has that gift in the kitchen—a bit of this, a little of that. Measurements??? Who needs exact measurements???

She is that good of a cook! So, here is the recipe as it was dictated on the day I cornered her for specifics!

2 pounds ground beef 1/2 bag of frozen chopped onions 2 eggs 3 pieces of bread crumbled 2 teaspoons garlic salt 1 teaspoon pepper 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 3 tablespoons ketchup Mix all ingredients together well. Form into a loaf shape. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. After, remove the meatloaf and apply the following sweet and savory glaze.

Merry Christmas from Joanna ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Buttermilk Pie This recipe has been with my family for more than 30 years. It is THE pie that made the table at our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners my entire life, year after year. My paternal grandmother— Ethel Carroll—made sure she made this pie every year. When she passed away years ago, my mother made sure she made it year after year. Now, when I happen to spend either Thanksgiving or Christmas apart from my parents who live in another state, I make sure I make it so I can lick the bowl and smell the pie in my own kitchen . . . memories and comfort fill me up.

1/4 cup melted butter (4 tablespoons) 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 eggs, well beaten 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour Dash of salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon lemon extract 1 cup buttermilk Blend the melted butter and sugar together. Add the beaten eggs. Add flour and salt, mix in well. Mix in vanilla and lemon extract. Stir in buttermilk last. Bake in unbaked pie shell for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. SPECIAL NOTE: Do not mix these ingredients with a hand mixer. Through ALL steps, stir with spoon or spatula. If you buy frozen pie shells, which usually come in pairs, the mixture will most likely fill two pie shells. So, most of the time, I make TWO pies!

—JoAnna Sproles Page 34 { December 2010 { Bluffs & Bayous

GLAZE 1 tablespoon BBQ sauce (your choice of flavor) 1/2 cup ketchup 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon mustard Brush the glaze all over the top and sides of the loaf. Return the meatloaf to the oven for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.

—JoAnna Sproles Cheeseburger Pie This recipe comes straight from Cajun Country—Lafayette, Louisiana. I lived in Lafayette from the time I was in eighth grade until graduation from high school. My best friend lived next door to me and her last name was Theriot (very Cajun!). Her mother was a great cook and always made some yummy Louisiana dishes.

This casserole was one of my favorites; and my mother borrowed the recipe and made it, too. When I make this, I double the recipe and make two so that I can pop one in the freezer for another time; this extra loaf comes in VERY handy during the busy holidays!

Make the extra batch and freeze before the baking step. When needed, remove from freezer and bake.

8-ounce can Rotel diced tomatoes 4 ounces diced onion 1/4 cup diced bell pepper 2 teaspoons sugar 1 beef bouillon cube (Make sure this gets crushed up or dissolved while cooking.)

2 teaspoons chili powder 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese 2 cups cooked rice (3/4 cup raw)

1 pound cooked ground beef Cook the ground beef and drain to get rid of excess grease.

Combine all the first seven ingredients and cook 10 minutes. Add 3 ounces of the shredded cheese and the cooked rice, stir together.

Spray an 8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spread meat mixture in the pan; then sprinkle the remaining 1 ounce of shredded cheese on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Then serve.

Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form —JoAnna Sproles ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• My husband, Tim, and I have been judging barbeque for about 15 years, are sanctioned Memphis Barbeque Network judges, and love traveling to barbeque contests in towns around our area.

We also love to judge the biggest competition on barbeque—the Memphis In May Barbeque Championship! Tim loves to grill and smoke meats, and even smoked 16 turkeys last year for our Natchez Stewpot. Here are a couple of our barbeque recipes.

Smoked Turkey Turkey Cajun Injector Creole Butter Seasoning Olive oil Cavendar’s Greek Seasoning Onion Apple Inject turkey with the entire jar of Cajun Injector. Coat outside of turkey with olive oil, and sprinkle liberally with Cavendar’s Greek Seasoning. Stuff cavity of turkey with roughly chopped onions and apples.

We have a smoker with an offset fire box. Start your fire with charcoal; then add your wood of choice to season the meat. We usually use pecan wood because of its availability! The temperature of your smoker should be 225 degrees. Smoke the turkey 30 to 40 minutes per pound or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Don’t worry if the meat appears pink—smoking meats causes this!!

—Donna and Tim Sessions Smoked Brisket Brisket Salt Pepper Brown sugar Olive oil Apple juice Coat the brisket with olive oil; and cover liberally with salt, pepper, and brown sugar. Prepare smoker as described above in the turkey recipe. Smoke at 225 degrees for about 3 hours, spritzing with apple juice around every 30 minutes. (When you take moisture out of meat you have to replenish!) After 3 hours, wrap brisket in aluminum foil after spritzing. Smoke an additional 6 hours or so.

Take your meat off to rest for about 15 minutes before you slice it.

Meat will be tender and delicious!

—Donna and Tim Sessions

Wishing you a wonderful, magical holiday.

Season’s Greetings from Donna Sausage Bisquits Christmas morning is not complete around our house without sausage “bisquits” and party mix to nibble on while we are opening presents!

2 cups cheddar cheese, grated (I use mild, but you may use sharp if you prefer.)

1 pound sausage (Again, I use mild, but you may use hot if you like.)

2 cups Bisquick Mix all ingredients together well. Shape into balls. Bake 10 minutes at 400 degrees. May be stored in freezer before baking so you may make in advance.

—Donna Sessions Party Mix 2 cups Chex Wheat cereal 2 cups Chex Rice Cereal 2 cups Chex Corn cereal 1 can mixed nuts 1 cup bite-size pretzels 1 stick real butter 1 tablespoon seasoned salt 1 teaspoon garlic powder A few dashes of Tabasco (to taste) Mix cereal, nuts, and pretzels together. Mix butter, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and Tabasco together. Coat cereal mixture with butter mixture. Bake at 250 degrees for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Pour onto brown paper bag to absorb any excess oil after cooking and cool. Enjoy!

—Donna Sessions Bluffs & Bayous { December 2010 { Page 35

Optional: sliced or chopped jalapeno peppers 1 bag tortilla chips 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or mixed Mexican cheese Optional: salsa, sour cream Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread refried beans first in a square Pyrex dish (or double the recipe in a large one). Spread chili layer next, followed by corn. For a spicier dish, add sliced or chopped jalapeno peppers. Crumble a handful of chips for a thin crust; then top with shredded cheese. Heat for about 15 minutes.

Serve immediately with chips for scooping. Great with cold salsa and sour cream on the side.

—Elise D. Parker

Treasure the magical moments of the holiday from Elise and family

Easy Swedish Meatballs I usually have Swedish meatballs and party sandwiches available on Christmas Eve, and we enjoy them after we go to our Christmas mass at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church!

1 bag of Italian Meatballs that have been already cooked 1 bottle Kraft original barbeque sauce 1 can Golden Cream of Mushroom soup Place bag of Italian meatballs in crock-pot. Mix together barbeque sauce and soup, and pour on meatballs. Simmer on low all day!

—Donna Sessions ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• I’ve dug up six family recipes. Two are modern, convenient, and easy. One, in fact, comes from my husband. One is a Bisquick recipe. The last three have been closely guarded secrets for many years.

—Elise D. Parker Tijuana Train Wreck This one’s for the men in your family.

1 can refried beans 1 can of chili 1/2 can of corn, drained Page 36 { December 2010 { Bluffs & Bayous

Vegetarian Spaghetti 1 zucchini 1 squash 1 small can of mushrooms, drained (or chop fresh) 1/3 white onion, chopped 1 clove fresh garlic, minced 2 carrots, chopped 1 bell pepper, chopped 1 jar of favorite spaghetti sauce Sauté vegetables in a little water; carrots first, then onion, pepper, zucchini, garlic, squash, and mushrooms. Simmer, covered, in sauce for at least 30 minutes. Add any water to reach desired consistency. Serve over any pasta. Great with garlic or cheese toast. (Butter toast and lightly sprinkle with garlic salt before toasting. Can add thin slices of cheddar cheese for cheesy garlic toast.)

—Elise D. Parker Bisquick Banana Bread I love cooking with Bisquick. It is one of those staples that, no matter how tight the budget, I never buy the generic or store brand. I’m like that about Velveeta too. With Bisquick, a few years ago the family-size box came with a little cookbook. I have made nearly every recipe in the book, and they are all wonderful. This particular banana bread is an easy hit with friends, church functions, and family gatherings.

And we all know that we keep over-ripe bananas in our freezers for this exact recipe!

2 large really ripe bananas (thawed if you’ve frozen them) 3 eggs 2/3 cups sugar or Splenda 2 2/3 cups Bisquick 1/2 cup milk 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional) 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional) Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of loaf pan (9”x 5”x 3”) or make a few of the mini-loaves. Stir all ingredients except Bisquick and optional nuts/chips in a large bowl. Stir in Bisquick and nuts/chips last. Pour in pan and cook 50-60 minutes (how WONDERFUL your house will smell!) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; then loosen sides of loaf from pan. Remove from pan to wire rack. Cool about an hour before slicing and serving. Keeps well if wrapped and refrigerated.

Can be frozen up to 3 months.

—Elise D. Parker

These last three recipes by Betsy Harrell, well . . . these have been closely guarded family recipes for a while. I’ve watched my mother cook each many, many times—and she has NEVER measured anything! I’m still curious as to how she determined these measurements. I’m not suggesting that these recipes are suspect; rather, there is plenty of room to taste and experiment as you cook (I’m pretty sure my mom uses more than a quarter cup of vodka and Kahlua in that cake!). It seems that cooking from scratch in a microwaved, easy-instant, fast-food society is becoming a lost art.

That leads me to think that our current struggling economy might have some domestic benefits after all—maybe we’ll spend more time at home, rather than eating out. We can dust off our grandmothers’ cookbooks, and enjoy our ‘staycation’ while cooking for and sharing with the ones we love the most. Enjoy and bon appétit!

Cornbread Dressing 1 1/2 cups chopped onions 1 bunch green onions 4 cups chopped celery 1 bell pepper 1 stick margarine or butter 6 cups toasted bread crumbs 9 cups crumbled cornbread Seasonings to taste Enough chicken broth to moisten 4 eggs, beaten Cook onions, celery, and bell pepper in butter over low heat until soft, but not browned. Blend seasonings with bread crumbs and corn bread. Add onions, celery, and bell pepper. Mix well.

Gradually pour in broth until moist enough to pour. Add eggs.

Bake at 350 until firm and golden brown. Serves 8 or more.

—Betsy Harrell Corn Chowder 1 tablespoon margarine 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried dill weed 1 can cream of potato soup 1 can cream of celery soup 2 cups milk 1/2 cup water 1 1/2 cups frozen whole kernel corn Seasonings to taste In a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat in hot margarine, cook onion, bell pepper, and dill until vegetables are tender. Add soups, milk, water, corn, and seasonings. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; cook 5 minutes. Makes 6 cups.

—Betsy Harrell Kahlua Cake My mother’s crowning jewel—her Kahlua Cake. This is what my husband and cousin’s husband insist for their birthdays and for any family gathering that requires them to sit and endure hours of socializing and screaming cousins. My cousin and I, both only children, grew up more like sisters though we only spent weekends and holidays together. It was a quiet childhood for both of us; and we married nerdy, introverted, NON-social butterflies. Between the two of us, we have seven children, so family weekends now are nothing like the weekends of our childhoods. If I didn’t know better, I would

Kahlua Cake

Cornbread Dressing

say the men in our lives prefer this dessert because of its alcoholic content. But for whatever reason and no matter when or where the gathering, there is NEVER any of this dessert left to take home!

1 box yellow cake mix 3/4 cup water 1 small box instant chocolate fudge pudding mix 1 cup sugar 4 eggs 1 cup oil 1/4 cup vodka 1/4 cup Kahlua Topping: 1/2 cup Kaklua mixed with 1/2 cup powdered sugar Mix all ingredients until smooth; pour into greased and floured Bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Turn out after 4 or 5 minutes. Pour topping slowly over cake so it will soak in rather than run off and puddle.

—Betsy Harrell Bluffs & Bayous { December 2010 { Page 37

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Mississippi Mud Cake When in fifth-grade, my daughter Amanda was assigned the making of a Mississippi notebook with all sorts of Mississippi facts required. Amanda wrote to the governor’s office asking for information, and among other data, she received the following recipe which rapidly became a family favorite! The governor at the time was Ray Mabus (in office from January 12, 1988, through January 14, 1992). The recipe is included exactly as the directions came to us, but the italicized notes are mine.

1 cup butter 1/2 cup cocoa 2 cups sugar 4 eggs, slightly beaten 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans 1 1/2 cups flour Salt Vanilla Miniature marshmellows [sic] Chocolate frosting Melt butter and cocoa together. Remove from heat. (I do this in the microwave in a large glass measuring bowl). Stir in sugar and beaten eggs; mix well. Add flour, pinch of salt, nuts, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix well. Spoon batter into greased and floured 13" x 9" x 2" pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes. Sprinkle marshmallows on top of hot cake. Cover with chocolate frosting.

Happy Holidays from Anita

CHOCOLATE FROSTING 1 pound powdered sugar (a box or half a 2-pound bag) 1/2 cup milk 1/3 cup cocoa 1/2 stick butter Combine sugar, milk, cocoa, and butter, and mix until smooth.

Spread on hot cake. Mississippians can’t get enough of this mud!

—Anita Schilling Apple Nut Cake My mother, Jovita Hopkins Boggan of Mendenhall, Mississippi, makes this cake whenever we’re having a large crowd for family reunions and especially at Christmas. I asked her recently where she found the recipe. She said, “I’ve made it so long that I don’t remember where I got it” … so I’ll give her credit. Mother was recovering from a crushed vertebra last year and didn’t make this favorite, and we all missed it and made sure every interested family member got a copy of the recipe. It’s a very thick batter and requires some vigorous stirring, but she’s planning to make at least one this Christmas. Several of us think it’s best for breakfast!

Apple Nut Cake

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2 eggs 2 cups sugar 3/4 cup canola oil 2 teaspoons vanilla 3 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice or apple pie spice 4 cups coarsely chopped apples (Use whatever you have, but I think it is best with Granny Smith or similarly tart apples.)

1 cup chopped nuts (Of course, we always use pecans.)

Now, my copy has no instructions, but I’ll fill you in on what to do: Cream the eggs, sugar, canola oil, and vanilla all together. Add all the dry ingredients and mix well. Then, stir in the apples and nuts. Mother always uses a well-oiled (sprayed with Pam) Bundt pan and bakes the cake for one hour at 350 degrees. I recently made the cake for a bridal brunch.

—Anita Schilling Mexican Layered Dip The next recipe idea I swiped from my sister Ronda Wolfe, who always takes it to our summer family reunions in Magee at our Aunt Ann Womack’s house. Because the Hopkins family had lots of August birthdays (and the patriarch’s, Daddy Hop’s, birthday was in August), we used to call that get-together the August Birthday Party. Daddy Hop has been gone since 1990, when he passed away at the age of 96, and times have changed. Because school starts so early—and with so many educators in the family—we’ve changed our gathering to a July weekend. Although some of us who have been around awhile still call it the August Birthday Party, it’s really the Hopkins’ Summer Party. Now, my version of this recipe has become the “old standby” that I take to the Spring and/or Fall Vicksburg Art Association’s Art Show Receptions. The platter is always scraped clean; so it is, obviously, a welcomed dish.

1 package of taco seasoning 1 can refried beans (I use fat free.)

1 8-ounce container of sour cream (I use fat free or low fat.)

1 8-to-12-ounce container of guacamole dip 1 4-ounce can of chopped green chiles, drained 1 4.25-ounce can of chopped ripe olives 3 or 4 stalks green onion, chopped (optional) 3 or 4 Roma or small tomatoes, diced and drained if too juicy 3/4 to 1 cup of finely shredded cheese (I use fiesta/Mexican blend reduced fat.)

Mix seasoning and beans together and spread on serving platter (approximately 13" or 2 smaller platters in thinner layers) Spread the following ingredients in layers in order. You may make dish ahead of time and refrigerate, but save adding the tomatoes and cheese until time to serve. Serve with tortilla scoops or tortilla chips of your choice.

—Anita Schilling Apple Gorgonzola Salad For most get-togethers—with family or friends—I usually take a salad. It’s never exactly the same—sometimes, mixed fruit, and other times, green salad of some variation, but usually something relatively healthy and low calorie. Several years ago, I ate this salad combination at the Italian restaurant Buca di Beppo in Dallas. This is my take on Apple Gorgonzola Salad which is a big hit wherever it goes.

1 head of your favorite lettuce or lettuces, torn (I usually use green leafy or romaine with some home-grown leaves when I have them.)

1 1/2 Granny Smith apples, mostly diced, but save a few slices for garnish 3/8 cup Craisins® (dried cranberries) 1/4 cup toasted nuts (Walnuts or pecans work well.)

Apple Gorgonzola Salad

1 1/2 ounces of crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (This usually comes in a 5-ounce container.)

Layer about 1/3 of the torn lettuce. Then layer 1/3 the other ingredients. Continue this layering two more times, ending with the colorful fruits, cheese, and nuts. I usually don’t toss this salad since the heavier items will fall to the bottom of the bowl.

If you plate it, add the garnish of sliced apples and a few extra nuts/Craisins. If it’s a buffet event, just garnish the serving bowl similarly. Serve drizzled with Raspberry Vinaigrette—see recipe below. I never toss a salad with dressing since I don’t use very much, and I’d rather people add the quantity dressing they prefer.

This recipe makes about 2 quarts of salad. I double it for large family get-togethers.

—Anita Schilling Raspberry Vinaigrette You can use a purchased, low-calorie raspberry vinaigrette, but here’s a recipe you might want to try.

1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup raspberry balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 Tablespoons Splenda® Mix these ingredients in jar with tight fitting lid. Shake well and store in refrigerator.

—Anita Schilling Bluffs & Bayous { December 2010 { Page 39

cups total of the goodies of your choice. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake in 350 degree oven for 8 to10 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool completely on wire cooling rack. *SOME YUMMY GOODIE COMBINATIONS —1 cup mini chocolate chips, 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, and 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans —1 1/2 cups raisins and 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts —1 cup white chocolate chips, 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts, and 1 cup dried cherries (great for Christmas cookies) —1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips, 1 1/2 cups peanut butter chips —2 1/2 cups chopped mini Reese’s® Peanut Butter Cups —Jan Ratcliff

Season’s Greetings from Jan

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Basic Cookie Dough Recipe I have loved baking cookies since I was a little girl. This cookie recipe has evolved over the years and is probably still evolving.

I like to experiment with the goodies and see what flavors taste yummy together.

1 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup sugar 2 large eggs, beaten 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon McCormick® Imitation Vanilla Butter & Nut Flavor 1 teaspoon soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups oatmeal 2 cups flour 2-3 cups of goodies of your choice* Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together butter and sugars.

(Do all the mixing by hand.) Add in eggs and mix thoroughly. Stir in flavorings and oatmeal. In a small bowl, mix together flour, salt, and soda. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture about 1/4 cup at a time, stirring thoroughly between each addition. Add in the 2-3 Page 40 { December 2010 { Bluffs & Bayous

Mamaw’s Icebox Fruit Cake My mother told me that this fruit cake recipe has been in her family for many, many years. I don’t remember a Christmas when we didn’t have one of her fruit cakes in the “ice box.” It seems like every Christmas since my sisters and I have been grown, we say we don’t need sweets for the holidays, but I know we would all throw a fit if Momma didn’t make our fruit cake!

1 box vanilla wafers, crushed but still a little chunky 1 can sweetened condensed milk 2 cups pecans, chopped 1 cup seedless raisins 1 bottle maraschino cherries, chopped (Reserve cherry juice.)

2 cups shredded coconut Mix all ingredients, except sweetened condensed milk, in a large bowl. Mix in milk until ingredients are thoroughly moistened. If still too dry, add some cherry juice. Press into a 9-inch square pan that has been lightly coated with no-stick spray. Refrigerate until firm.

Cut into squares. Keep refrigerated. Can be made ahead and frozen.

—Jan Ratcliff Pasta Sue Sue My family loves spaghetti, but my husband wants the sauce to cook all day long. I was trying to find a pasta dish that he and the kids would like that was quicker to prepare when I saw a recipe on the Food Network’s cooking show Everyday Italian.

It sounded so good, but needed a few changes... In the original recipe, the basil is not cooked in with the tomatoes and garlic but is sprinkled on top of the prepared dish with the cheese. The kids didn’t like the taste of the raw basil, so I decided to cook it, and the dish was a hit.

1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped garlic 12 Roma tomatoes, diced 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste) 1/2 teaspoon fresh pepper (or to taste) 3/4 pound pasta of your choice, cooked al dente according to package directions 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, diced (Even though the fresh mozzarella cheese is VERY delicious, we usually use the lowfat, shredded version to save on calories.)

Sauté garlic in olive oil over medium heat until golden. Add tomatoes; combine gently with oil and garlic. Stir in basil. Simmer on medium high heat for 10 to12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Toss with cooked pasta. Top with cheese.

—Jan Ratcliff

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Shrimp Chowder From my kitchen to yours....This Shrimp Chowder was handed down from a friend. It makes a great, warm winter meal, and is a talk-of-the-party dish for holiday gatherings. I half this recipe when making it for my family of four.

1 1/2 sticks real butter 1 small bag frozen season mix (onions & peppers) 1/2 bunch green onions, chopped 3 cans Campbell’s Cream of Potato Soup 2 cans cream of corn 1 can whole corn, drained 1 pint half & half 2 pounds shrimp Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning to taste Melt butter and add frozen season mix; cook until tender. Add all other ingredients, stirring while cooking on low heat. Simmer for 30 minutes and serve. Makes 8 servings.

—Connie Hinson Eight-Layer Salad with a Twist Needing a dip for that fun night with family and friends? This Eight-Layer Dip is a hit with all ages.

1 bag tortilla chips (I use 1/2 bag, crunched.)

1 can re-fried beans 1/2 bunch green onions, chopped 1/4 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped 2 tablespoons lime juice 8 ounces sour cream 2 medium diced tomatoes 1 jar taco sauce 1/2 head shredded lettuce (I buy the bag.)

8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese Put chips on the bottom of a deep serving dish and top with the refried beans to hold the dip together later while lifting from the dish. Combine green onions, cilantro, and lime juice as one layer.

Then spread this and the remaining ingredients out one at a time to make the various layers.

—Connie Hinson Caramel Apple Cake This has been a favorite in my families for many years. Top off a slice or two with a cup of coffee or your preferred warm, winter drink.

1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed 1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon vanilla 2 large eggs 1/4 cup milk 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 medium, tart apples—peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped Caramel Topping, heated Sweetened whipped cream or whipped topping In a mixing bowl with electric mixer, beat together sugar, oil,

Holiday Blessings from Connie cinnamon, and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the milk, flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring just until blended. Stir in apples.

Pour apple cake batter into a greased, 9-inch square pan. Bake at 350 degrees until cake springs back when touched lightly in the center, about 30 to 40 minutes. With a fork, pierce cake all over. Pour hot caramel topping over cake. Serve warm or at room temperature with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream or whipped topping.

CARAMEL TOPPING 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon vanilla Combine brown sugar, butter, and cream in a heavy saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer; continue cooking and stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour caramel topping over hot apple cake.

—Connie Hinson Krispy Kreme Donut Bread Pudding This recipe is for the Best Bread Pudding in the South, a recipe that only a friend would share. In fact, it came from my good friend Lisa Dale.

2 tablespoons butter 2 cups milk 2 cups heavy cream 2 dozen Krispy Kreme Donuts 6 egg yolks 2 eggs 1/2 cup condensed milk Bluffs & Bayous { December 2010 { Page 41

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 cup praline liquor 1 cup chopped pecans Melt butter in a 9” x 13” pan. Add donuts into pan, breaking them into pieces. Mix remaining ingredients— except pecans—together, and pour over donuts, pressing donuts into liquid.

Sprinkle pecans over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour SAUCE 1 1/2 cups milk 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 3/4 cup sugar 6 egg yolks 2 teaspoons vanilla Combine milk, cream and sugar in sauce pan. Heat but DO NOT boil. In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks and 1/4 cup sugar. Slowly add milk mix to egg mix so the eggs do not scramble from the heat.

Return to saucepan; add vanilla and cook until sauce thickens to coat a spoon. DO NOT BOIL. Serve over Bread Pudding.

—Connie Hinson

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Bluffs & Bayous { December 2010 { Page 43

Go Green for the Holidays

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Using new or your own glass jars, vases, or containers can be a useful tool for holiday decorating or entertaining.

Brenda Zerby of Moreton’s Flowerland in Natchez, Mississippi, offered the following tips for creating a “green” holiday scheme for your table, room, or entire home.

Use white and green colors, and add some touches of red throughout the placement or arrangement. The white and green plants or flowers can be used in the spring and throughout the year by changing focus colors in the arrangements. Wreaths, runners, tablecloths, candles, and ornaments serve as deft or even dynamic enhancers to complete the festive décor.

Bluffs & Bayous { December 2010 { Page 45

From the Kitchens of Cheryl’s Family & Friends

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n my continuing attempts to orchestrate with flair and finesse the many skills of cooking and entertaining, I have rallied the forces of family and friends and requested some of their favorite recipes to enhance my collection and share with our readers. My challenge is not to be intimidated by distinctive dishes but to prepare them with deftness and a bit of audacity and invite family and friends over to dine casually…and scrumptiously…with Mike and me. December is a nesting month for us all as we plan the holidays, decorate our homes, and prepare memory-making meals and party fare to share with those we treasure. I hope you will enjoy the following sampler of sumptuous recipes that some of my treasured family and friends have sent our way this month as well as the additional selections that will appear in the months to follow. Bon Appétit!

As a young, soon-to-be bride, I attempted to cook for my intended (Cheryl Rinehart’s Dad). Prior to that time, my cooking experiences were little to none.

Fearlessly, I planned a menu of green beans (out of a can), creamed corn (out of a can), and fried chicken. I had my chicken cut up for me, so frying it looked so simple. I just needed someone to tell me how much water to add to the oil to deep fry. Thank goodness my support system came to my rescue!…and he married me anyway!

—Mary Ann Foggo-Eidt Christmas Pudding Cake As a young married couple, we did not have much money to buy gifts for our many friends and family members, so all of them got cake. I do not remember where I got this recipe, but I have served this most every Christmas since 1954.

1 cup chopped dates 1 cup boiling water ½ cup shortening 1 egg 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 2/3 cup flour 1 teaspoon of salt 1 teaspoon soda ½ cup chopped nuts Cover dates with boiling water; cool to lukewarm. Thoroughly cream shortening and sugar. Add beaten egg and vanilla. Beat well. Add date mixture and then sifted dry ingredients. Beat well and add nuts. Bake in a waxed-paper-lined loaf pan (or spray pan with Pam), and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

—Mary Ann Foggo-Eidt Page 46 { December 2010 { Bluffs & Bayous

Sauce for Cake This recipe was given to me by the mother of my good childhood friend Lou Purl Bankston of Laurel, Mississippi.

Juice of 1 orange Juice of 1 lemon Zest of 1 lemon 2 tablespoons flour ¾ cup sugar ½ pint whipping cream.

Combine first five ingredients in a double boiler; and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Cool. Whip the ½ pint of whipping cream and combine thoroughly with cooled orange-lemon mixture. Good to freeze.

—Mary Ann Foggo-Eidt My Grandmother’s Vegetable Soup I have prepared this soup for years, never attaining the remembered taste of her soup. I finally realized that she “put up” her soup stock each summer from her bountiful garden; and, therefore, no storebought ingredients would equal hers.

10 cups water 2 large soup bones 2 pounds stew meat or cubed chuck roast 1 large onion, diced 3 ribs chopped celery 3 carrots, cubed or sliced thin 2 large white potatoes, cubed small 1 large can crushed tomatoes 1 small can tomato sauce 3 cans cut green beans, drained 3 cans whole kernel corn, drained 2 cans sweet peas, drained 1 package mixed frozen vegetables ½ package thin spaghetti Salt and pepper to taste In large stock pot, add water and soup bones, and bring to a boil. Add meat that has been seasoned with salt and pepper. Turn down to a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes. Add carrots, onion, and celery, and cook for another 30 minutes. Add tomatoes and sauce, simmering for 15 minutes. Then add rest of vegetables except potatoes. Cook for another 15 to 20 minutes. Add potatoes, and cook for 30 to 45 minutes. Add spaghetti, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Turn off stove, and let soup set for 30 or more minutes.

—Mary Ann Foggo-Eidt My Mother’s Liver and Onions I never ate this until I was over 50 years old; and when I finally tasted it, it became one of my favorites.

3 pounds thinly sliced calf liver ½ cup flour Oil to make ½ inch in skillet 1 large onion, thinly sliced 1 package dry onion soup mix 2 cups or so water Salt and pepper Wipe calf liver, and season it with salt and pepper. Dust with the flour and brown in cast iron skillet with ½ inch oil. Remove liver and set aside. Cook onion in same skillet until opaque; remove

and set aside. With remaining flour, make a dark roux; add onion soup mix, mixed with the water. Stir until it reaches the thickness of gravy you desire. Add liver and place onions on top. Continue cooking for 30 minutes, adding water as needed.

—Mary Ann Foggo-Eidt Rebecca Sauce My friend Sherry Biedenharn of Bovina and Vicksburg, Mississippi, gave me this delicious and simple recipe to use over fresh fruit. She served it with grapes, but strawberries take the prize!

Sour cream Brown sugar Optional: brandy (your favorite) to taste Combine equal amounts of the sour cream and sugar. Mix well and chill. Add a few drops of brandy to taste if desired.

—Mary Ann Foggo-Eidt Henry’s Ribs My husband Henry Foggo (Cheryl Rinehart’s Dad) traveled and worked in south Louisiana for years, and he learned many of the Cajun recipes and tips on cooking meat and seafood. This recipe he dearly loved.

10 pounds short ribs 3 bags crab boil 10 quarts water Barbecue sauce Add ribs and crab boil to water and boil for 30 minutes. Drain well. Place ribs in pans and brush with barbeque sauce. Cover with foil and bake 20 to 30 minutes. Instead of baking, you can place ribs on a grill and brush with barbeque sauce for 20 to 30 minutes.

—Mary Ann Foggo-Eidt Frosty Cranberry Tip Top My best friend, Barbara Montgomery of Edwards, Mississippi, (now singing with the angels) gave me this recipe years ago. We both served it at bridge club.

1 can jellied cranberry sauce 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1 cup heavy cream 1 3-ounce cream cheese Bluffs & Bayous { December 2010 { Page 47

¼ cup mayonnaise ¼ cup sifted powdered sugar 1 cup chopped pecans 8-ounce paper cups—4 Lettuce leaves Garnish: mayonnaise and green cherries Crush cranberry sauce and add lemon juice. Mix and pour equal amounts into the 8-ounce paper cups. Combine cream and cream cheese and spread equally among the four cups atop the cranberry layer in each cup. Freeze until firm. To serve, cut away each paper cup, and place individual salad mold on a lettuce leaf with cranberry side down. Garnish with a dollop of mayonnaise, topped with a green cherry. Serves 4.

—Mary Ann Foggo-Eidt • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Heavenly Hash Fruit Salad This recipe was given to me by my children’s very special Aunt Rhonda. She used to make it for our Christmas Eve dinner. Whenever I prepare this, it brings back sweet memories of our children dressed in Christmas outfits and so excited about Santa’s coming.

No. 2 can of crushed pineapple ½ cup sugar 1 bunch of green grapes, split and deseeded—or use seedless ½ package or about 2 cups of miniature marshmallows 2 apples, chopped 3 bananas, sliced 1 cup pecans 1 large container of Cool Whip Optional:1 large can of drained fruit cocktail Mix pineapple and sugar together. Cook until most of the liquid has dissolved and then let cool. Fold together with remaining ingredients. Chill before serving.

—Judy Burkley Breakfast Casserole Because this was my children’s favorite Christmas morning brunch casserole, I prepared it every Christmas for them to enjoy after Baby Jesus was placed in the manager and presents were opened.

(They used to get so excited when it was their turn that year to place Baby Jesus in the manager.) Christmas brings such precious memories made with children.

6 slices white bread, crusts removed ½ stick margarine 1½ cup shredded Longhorn cheese 5 eggs, beaten well, using mixer 2 cups half & half cream 1 pound sausage 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon dry mustard Cook sausage well and drain. Melt butter in a 9x13-inch Pyrex pan. Tear bread in small pieces, and sprinkle over butter. Sprinkle drained sausage over bread crumbs. Sprinkle cheese over sausage.

Beat eggs and other ingredients; pour over mixture. Chill for 8 hours or overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes.

—Judy Burkley Sugar Cookies for Santa This recipe that my sister gave me brings back memories of seeing Page 48 { December 2010 { Bluffs & Bayous

my children dressed in their Christmas Eve pajamas, reading ’Twas the Night Before Christmas to them, and watching them put cookies under their own little Christmas tree for Santa before being tucked into bed. (Where does the time go—my favorite age—Love these Memories! ) 1 cup butter 2 cups sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla 4 cups sifted flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, mixing well. Add vanilla. Mix in flour, sifted with salt and baking powder. Refrigerate one hour. Dust your board with a combination of flour and sugar to prevent dough sticking. Roll out and cut with cookie cutters. Bake at 375 degrees until lightly browned. Cool and decorate. Makes 3 dozen.

—Judy Burkley • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Strawberry Bread The strawberry bread is a wonderful addition to a brunch or luncheon menu and makes a very moist and appealing sandwich.

2 cups sugar 3 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon salt 2 (10-ounce) packages of frozen strawberries (Drain and reserve ½ cup juice.)

1 cup oil 4 well beaten eggs For Sandwiches: 1 8-ounce cream cheese 2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar Small amount of reserved strawberry juice Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together.

Make a hole in the center and pour combined liquids into the center. Do not use a mixer. Use a spoon to mix well. Grease and flour two 8”x 4” loaf pans. Bake for 45 minutes. Slice when cool.

TO MAKE SANDWICHES: Mix the three ingredients, spread on strawberry bread, and serve.

—Linda McFarlane Overnight Oven-Baked French Toast This overnight, baked French toast is great to make the night before and serve to family and friends the next morning. It remains moist and can be served with or without syrup.

1 16-ounce French bread loaf ¼ cup butter, softened 4 large eggs 1 cup milk ¼ cup sugar 2 tablespoons maple syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon salt Cut bread loaf into about 10 (3/4 inch thick) slices. Spread butter evenly over one cut side of each bread slice. Arrange bread, butter side up, in an ungreased 13”x 9” inch baking dish. Whisk together eggs and next 5 Bluffs & Bayous { December 2010 { Page 49

ingredients; pour over bread, pressing slices down. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight.

Remove bread slices from baking dish and place on two lightly greased baking sheets. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.

—Linda McFarlane Come-Back Sauce This Come Back Sauce recipe was given to me

by Herb and Becky Ivison who keep bottles on hand to give to friends. It is a wonderful addition to any type of salad or meat.

2 cups mayonnaise ½ cup catsup 3 garlic cloves, chop fine or press 2 teaspoons prepared mustard 1½ tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce Dash of Tabasco Dash of paprika 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons vinegar ½ cup chili sauce 1 cup Wesson Oil 2 teaspoons black pepper 1 teaspoon red pepper 1 small white onion, chopped fine Put all ingredients in blender or mixer to mix well. Put mixture in a jar in refrigerator.

Makes one quart. Keeps indefinitely. Good for salads, meats, fish, shrimp, etc.

—Linda McFarlane White Chocolate Party Mix I make the white chocolate party mix every year at Christmas and give as gifts. The only problem with this snack is that it is so good it’s habit forming and disappears quickly.

3 cups Rice Chex 3 cups Corn Chex 3 cups Cheerios 2 cups Pretzels 1 jar dry-roasted peanuts 1 pound M & Ms 16-ounce white almond bark Mix all ingredients except almond bark.

Melt the almond bark in the microwave in one minute increments for about three minutes, stirring often to prevent burning.

Spoon melted almond bark over dry ingredients and mix well. Work quickly or the mixture will harden. Spoon onto sheets of wax paper and flatten with back of spoon. Allow to cool and let set. Break into chunks and refrigerate.

—Linda McFarlane

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THE Social Scene 1st Annual Purple Dress Run and Pub Crawl

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benefit was held for The Guardian Shelter for Battered Families October 8 and 9 in Natchez, Mississippi. Area participants donned their finest purple attire and took to the streets as they made their way from one scheduled stop to another. Other events included the Purple Dress Floozie Contest, musical entertainment and the pre-race party held the night before the race.

Corky and Charlie Vess

Tyler Idom and Rachael Idom

Barbara Rodriguez, Charles Moore, Joy Moore, and Ruth Anderson

Martha Mitternight, Sandra Barr, Dearing McKlemurry, and Alicia Randall

Clifford Tillman

Ann Elizabeth Kaiser

Ben Long, Rachael Idom, and Ryan McMahon

Kim Johnson

Rachael Idom and Ryan Dixon Richardson

Bluffs & Bayous { December 2010 { Page 51

Southern Sampler | by Alma M. Womack

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Winter Colds and Christmas Memoirs

old and flu season is upon us. I have had my flu shot; but so far, there’s no cold shot, so I can expect to suffer a few colds this winter. Being a fan of the old ways, I have learned to use some home remedies to help me get through these miserable days of coughs, sneezes, sore throats, and general malaise associated with the common cold.

Honey, lemon, and tea are soothing to a sore throat, but the best home remedy I have ever used is vinegar and honey. You just use equal amounts of both liquids, put the brew in a glass, and sip on it all day long. Just a wee sip at a time will do, and it is deadly on the germs that cause a sore throat. So strongly do I believe in this recipe that I share it with anyone who comes to my house and complains of a sore throat.

Which brings to mind a short story: Larry Crouch, our friend who works with us, will rarely take medicine for any ailment. If he can’t wear it out, he’ll take a couple of Tylenol till it (whatever “it” is), goes away. Last winter, he had come by for the morning coffee and talk with Buster about the day’s activities when I noticed he didn’t sound quite right. Upon questioning, he said that he had a sore throat and was having trouble swallowing.

Well, Dr. Alma to the rescue. I fixed him a small glass of vinegar and honey, and told him to take it with him and sip on it all day and his throat would be much improved by morning. While they were talking about deer or disking or whatever, I went on to the back of the house, straightening up for the day.

When I made it back to the kitchen, Larry looked at me and said, “Poor

Page 52 { December 2010 { Bluffs & Bayous

Jesus!”—something that made not one whit of sense that early in the morning, or really, any time of day. I hated to ask what in the world was wrong with poor Jesus, but I did.

“Poor Jesus, having to drink all that vinegar, and him on the cross. Poor Jesus!”

“Did you drink all of the honey and vinegar, Larry Crouch?”

“Yeah, I figured I’d just get it over with in one swallow and wouldn’t have to take this glass around with me all day.”

Defeated the purpose, of course, but as long as I have a memory, I will remember Larry Crouch, sitting at my kitchen table, feeling sorry for poor Jesus, having nothing to drink but vinegar.

My Mississippi uncle, Malcolm Randolph “Pat” Patterson of Yazoo City, had another good recipe that has helped me with many colds through the years. It is pretty well known. However, Uncle Pat had a special ingredient in his bottle of bourbon and peppermint, but he wouldn’t tell what it was. Even my grandmother, who completely disapproved of spirits, would drink Uncle Pat’s Recipe and declare it worthy. I have to make my own now, but it is never as good as Uncle Pat’s when it was delivered in a mason jar.

Christmas is coming, too, and it is this time of year that I most miss my family that has gone on. Mama always enjoyed Christmas so much, and she made it fun for us kids when we were youngsters. She and Mimi would shop and wrap presents, bake a houseful of cakes and pies and puddings, and let us decorate to our hearts’ content. Nub, Doug, and I made many miles of colored paper chains, and we hung them everywhere.

We decorated our houses, the chicken house, and any dog that chanced by. We had real trees and used the same old decorations every year but thought them the most beautiful ornaments of all time.

When we’d go up Little River to our Grandma Ella McClure’s house, we’d feel sorry for her, for she didn’t decorate for Christmas like we did. I never remember even a Christmas tree there, but I could be wrong.

Grandma Ella wasn’t one for wasting time on decorations, but she always cooked a feast, and she loved presents. If one of the family members brought her present before Christmas Day, she’d hold it, shake it, then accidentally tear a little piece of paper and decide that oh, well, since it was torn, she might as well open it. She was appreciative of any little thing that was given her, and made you feel like you had found the one thing she’d secretly wanted for some time.

Our grandmother Dowdy, Mimi to all of us, would drop hints to Papa about what she wanted for Christmas. Then, she would go buy the exact thing for herself after Papa had already purchased the requested item. He’d get mad every year and declare that was the last present he was buying for her, but he’d go through the same song and dance the next year.

We kids were allowed to ask Santa for three things each, not one item more. After I started to school, I got to write the Santa letter for all of us each year. By fourth grade, I knew the score but still had to go through the motions for my little brothers and sister. That year, when I wrote the Santa letter, it was published in the local Jonesville Booster. My fourth-grade friend (my friend to this day) Francis Spinks Pugh told me that she had read my letter in the newspaper. I was mortified to think that she thought I believed in Santa. Come to find out, my little brothers ‘knew the score,’ too, but none of us was brave enough to say so in case those presents might disappear.

I don’t think children today are as trusting as we were in the days of yore.

It is my wish that all of our readers have a blessed Christmas season, and that they don’t allow anyone to change Christmas to the “Winter Holiday” or whatever other nonsense is being touted in 2010. It is Christmas, and it involves nativity scenes and carols and spreading joy that the Christ is born. Remember these things, and thank God for his goodness in blessing us and blessing our wonderful country, the United States of America.

Merry Christmas to all from your grateful correspondent from beautiful Black River, Jonesville, Louisiana, U S of A.

Bluffs & Bayous { December 2010 { Page 53

THE Social Scene May & Company Announces New Partners

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n October 21,  May & Company, LLP, a Vicksburg, Mississippi, accounting firm, held a Chamber of Commerce Business after Hours to welcome its two newest Partners—James R. Armstrong and Nathan Cummins. Both have been with May & Company for a number of years and look forward to leading the firm toward a bright future.

Photos by Jill Ledet, Linda Cook, and Mari Stoudt

Alice and Michael Ellis

Josh and Blair McBride

Kelli Trest and Nathan Cummins

Paula Shores, Nancy Wansley, and Lisa Gwin

Justin Burton, Rena Beth Burton, and Glen Burton

James R. and Alissa Armstrong with their son, John Hinton

Lindsay Jones, Jodi Sumerall, and Riley Nelson

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Paula Shores and Barbara Hickman

Stephanie Palmertree and Debbie Cummins

Jill Ledet and Glenda Hill

Jennifer Nelson and Rae Nelson

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THE Social Scene Holiday Cookie Swap

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he Natchez Garden Club held its monthly meeting recently at historic Magnolia Hall with a Holiday Decorating Program by Brenda Zerby and a cookie swap. Each member brought three dozen home-made cookies to share and took a dozen of her selected favorites home.

Brenda Edgin and Jean Reed

Carol Frank, Betty Powers, Linda McFarland, and Brynda Pendergrast

Gay Metcalfe and Helen Smith

Brenda Zerby and Betty Powers

Anne MacNeil, Beth Boggess, and Leigh Dickey

JoAnn Herrington and Faye Lehman

Joan Heard and Nancy Kuehnle

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On the River k On the River k On the River k On the River

Natchez k vidalia k Ferriday k Natchez k vidalia k Ferriday k Bluffs & Bayous { December 2010 { Page 57

On the River k On the River k On the River k On the River

Natchez k vidalia k Ferriday k Natchez k vidalia k Ferriday k Page 58 { December 2010 { Bluffs & Bayous

On the River k On the River k On the River k On the River

Natchez k vidalia k Ferriday k Natchez k vidalia k Ferriday k Bluffs & Bayous { December 2010 { Page 59

December ... Up and Coming! Premier Event December 5, 2010 Friends of The Armstrong Library Tour of Homes 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Natchez, Mississippi The annual Friends of The Armstrong Library Tour of Homes will be held Sunday, December 5 from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. in the afternoon.

Four private homes will be offered for holiday tour as a benefit for The Armstrong Library.

1. The Stockton House located at 307 North Wall Street is the home of Margaret Perkins and Rene’ Adams and the original home of the widow Ann Stockton where it remained in the Stockton family until 1893. Margaret Perkins acquired the house in 2003 and has made substantial improvements. She and Rene’ have carefully preserved and restored the original portions of the house, while accommodating their modern lifestyle by remodeling existing rear additions and building a new, multi-purpose garage building that complements the historic character of the main house.

2. The second home is located at 411 North Commerce Street, home to Dr. Linda Wilbourn. This restored home was built in the 1880s in the waning years of the Italianate style. The house was built for the Crothers family, also associated with neighboring 407 North Commerce Street, built earlier and also in the Italianate style. When Dr. Linda Wilbourn acquired the house approximately fifteen years ago, its original full-width gallery had been reduced to a portico with its floor-length front windows opening into space. The house is richly decorated throughout with her collection of antique furnishings. Desserts and punch will be served at this location.

3. The Stahlman condo located at 205 North Commerce Street is owned by Cappy and Judy Stahlman. The building at 503 Franklin Street is one of a few buildings on Franklin built before the Civil War. Its antebellum origins are apparent in its scale and detailing. Prominent occupants were partners Cassius Tillman and Isaac Lowenburg.

Through January 2 Christmas in Natchez Holiday House Tours & Concerts Family & Special Events Natchez, Mississippi 601-446-6631 www.natchezpilgrimage.com www.christmasinnatchez.com Through January 1 Christmas Lights & Displays Along the Riverwalk Vidalia, Louisiana At dark; free admission

Cappy and Judy Stahlman acquired both properties and first rehabilitated the warehouse into two apartments. They then rehabilitated the other property into a first-story commercial space and luxurious second-story apartment with an entrance on North Commerce. The area of the former rear addition is now a unique and spacious courtyard.

4. The King’s Daughters Home was built in 1911 as a home for unwed mothers is now the home to Renee and Kenny Cavin located on 32 Cemetery Road. The King’s Daughters Home was donated to the Historic Natchez Foundation in 2004. In 2007, the Cavins purchased the building for rehabilitation as a bed-and-breakfast.

Tickets for tours may be purchased at Armstrong Library, Natchez Visitors Center or on the day of the event at the door of any home. Tickets are $15.00 per person or $25.00 for two.

Through December 31 Christmas New Orleans Style New Orleans, Louisiana www.neworleansonline.com Through December 30 Annual Christmas Tree Festival Smith Robertson Museum & Cultural Center Jackson, Mississippi 528 Bloom Street 601-960-1457

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Through December 4 6th Annual Christmas Caroling Contest Vicksburg Convention Center Vicksburg, Mississippi 6:30 p.m.; Finals Dec. 4, 7:30 p.m.

1600 Mulberry Street 601-630-2929; 866-VCC-MEET December 1 - 31 19th Century Christmas Decorations Rosedown Main House & Nina’s Wing St. Francisville, Louisiana 225-635-3332; 888-376-1867

December 2 Open House Vidalia Conference Center Vidalia, Louisiana 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Santa, Cookies & Hot Chocolate, Trolley Rides Refreshments, Drawings & Decorations December 2 Alexandria Holiday Magic Downtown Alexandria, Louisiana 915 3rd Street 318-449-5051 December 2 Downtown Gallery Crawl Downtown Monroe/West Monroe, Louisiana 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

318-537-7532 www.downtowngallerycrawl.com December 2 - 4 Can’t Wait for Christmas SW Mississippi Community College Summit, Mississippi Fine Arts Auditorium Operation Christmas Bear Admission: Stuffed Bear Thurs. 7:00 p.m.; Fri. 2:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.

Sat.: 7:00 p.m.

601-276-3817 December 3 Baton Rouge Symphony Hemingbough St. Francisville, Louisiana 7:00 p.m. $20; $18 Seniors Olina Pass 225-635-0092 December 3 ArtsNatchez Featured Artists Reception Natchez, Mississippi Margaret Watts & Mary Baugh 425 Main Street 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Free admission 601-442-0043

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December 3 - 5 Christmas in the Country St. Francisville, Louisiana Dec. 3: Children’s Choirs, Fireworks & House Tours Dec. 4: Breakfast Visit w/ Santa, Parade, Sing-along, Candlelight Tours & Live Nativity Dec. 5: Christmas Tour of Homes 225-635-4224; www.stfrancisville.us December 3 - 5 Tuesdays with Morrie Parkside Playhouse Vicksburg, Mississippi 101 Iowa Avenue Dec. 3 & 4 - 7:30 p.m.; Dec. 5 - 2:00 p.m. $12 Adults; $10 Seniors; $5 Children 12/younger 601-636-0471; www.e-vtg.com December 4 3rd Annual Holly Days Arts & Crafts Show Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation Vicksburg, Mississippi 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. $1 admission 601-631-2997; info@southernculture.org December 4 McComb Christmas Parade McComb, Mississippi 10:00 a.m.

601-684-2291 December 4 Breakfast with Santa Vicksburg Convention Center Vicksburg, Mississippi 8:00 a.m.; $7.00 1600 Mulberry 601-630-2929; meetings@vicksburg.org December 4 Vicksburg’s Parade of Lights Vicksburg Main Street Program Downtown Vicksburg, Mississippi 5:00 p.m.

December 4 Annual Christmas Parade & Festival Downtown Tallulah, Louisiana 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

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December 4 An Old-Fashioned Christmas at Kent House Kent Plantation House Alexandria, Louisiana 3601 Bayou Rapides Road 318-487-5998 www.kenthouse.org December 4 Expressions of Joy Concert Coughlin-Sanders Performing Arts Center Alexandria, Louisiana 318-442-9709 www.rapidessymphony.org December 4 - 5 The Nutcracker Ballet Mississippi Thalia Mara Hall Jackson, Mississippi Sat. 7:30 p.m.; Sun.12:30 & 2:00 p.m.

1-800-595-4849 www.balletms.com December 4 - 5 Nutcracker Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet Jackson Academy Performing Arts Center Jackson, Mississippi Sat. 7:30 p.m.; Sun. 3:00 p.m.

Tea Party: Sun. 2:00 p.m.

601-853-4508 www.msmetroballet.com December 4 & 11 Art & Soul Beading Class 1312 Washington Street Vicksburg, Mississippi 10:00 a.m.; $15 601-629-6201 December 5 Christmas Tour of Homes Friends of the Library Natchez, Mississippi 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. $15 single; $25 two 601-445-8862 December 5 14th Annual Christmas Tour of Homes West Feliciana Library St. Francisville, Louisiana $15; 11865 Ferdinand Street 225-635-3364 Bluffs & Bayous { December 2010 { Page 63

December 5 Holiday Open House West Baton Rouge Museum Port Allen, Louisiana Free admission 225-226-2422 www.westbatonroughmuseum.com December 6 & 7 Auditions for I Remember Mama Vicksburg Theatre Guild Vicksburg, Mississippi Sat. 7:00 p.m.; Sun. 5:00 p.m.

Production Dates: Feb. 18 - 20 & 25 - 27 601-636-0471; www.e-vtg.com December 6 - 31 Celebration of Christmas Trees Historic Jefferson College Washington, Mississippi Decorated Christmas Trees on Display kmcneil@mdah.state.ms.us

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December 9 St. Joseph Arts Concert w/ ASU Choir Vidalia Conference & Convention Center Vidalia, Louisiana 7:00 p.m.

December 9 Mixed Nuts Peterson’s Art & Antiques Washington Street Vicksburg, Mississippi Featuring Artists & Refreshments 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. www.petersonsartandantiques.com December 9 - 10 Book Signings at Lorelei Books Washington Street Vicksburg, Mississippi Dec. 9 - David: The Illustrated Novel 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Dec. 10 - Robert Dalby’s Piggly Wiggly Christmas December 9 - 12 Miracle on State Street State Theatre McComb, Mississippi Thurs. - Sat 7:00 p.m.

Sun. 2:00 p.m.

601-466-2917 jiffin@yahoo.com December 10 Zion Chapel AME Church Annual Christmas Concert Natchez, Mississippi 228 MLK Street 7:00 p.m.; Free admission 601-442-1396 December 10 - 11, 16 - 19 A Christmas Carol Playmakers at Manship Theatre Baton Rouge, Louisiana 100 Lafayette Street 225-344-0334 www.manshiptheatre.org December 10 - 12 Melrose Christmas Open House Historic Tours on the Hour Natchez, Mississippi 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Free admission 601-446-5790; www.nps.gov/natc Bluffs & Bayous { December 2010 { Page 65

December 11 Cookies with Santa Natchez Grand Hotel Natchez, Mississippi Natchez Downtown Association 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

December 11 Annual Christmas Village Arts & Crafts Market Parklane Academy McComb, Mississippi 1115 Parklane Road 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Home-made arts, crafts, furniture, jewelry, Christmas & home dÊcor, pottery‌more 769-204-1702 December 11 Osyka Christmas Parade Osyka, Mississippi 4:00 p.m. followed by Free Pics with Santa & Pyrotechnic Display Kim Wall 601-542-5994 walltimberco@wildblue.net December 11 Vicksburg High School Madrigal Dinner Southern Cultural Heritage Center Vicksburg, Mississippi Seating 6:30 p.m.; Performance 7:00 p.m. $25 601-631-2997; www.southernculture.org December 11 Confederate Christmas Ball Old Courthouse Museum Vicksburg, Mississippi 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Period Dress; Wine Buffet $25 individual; $50 couple Advanced tickets only Bubba Bolm 601-636-0741 societyhistorical@bellsouth.net www.oldcourthouse.org December 12 U. S. S. Cairo Program Vicksburg Military Park Vicksburg, Mississippi 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. $8.00 vehicle Tim Kavanaugh 601-636-0583 Vick_interpretation@nps.gov

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December 12 Auburn Christmas Open House Antebellum Auburn Natchez, Mississippi Tours, Refreshments & Entertainment 400 Duncan Park 1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

601-442-7554; ddmartello@yahoo.com December 12 St. Joseph Community Orchestra Christmas Concert with ASU Choir Southern Cultural Heritage Auditorium Vicksburg, Mississippi 3:00 p.m.

601-631-2997; info@southernculture.org December 12 Christmas Parade Alexandria, Louisiana Jackson Street Extension 318-449-5051 www.cityofalexandriala.com

December 18 EXPLORE! Animal Art Special Art Class Historic Jefferson College Washington, Mississippi Ages 6 - 8: 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Ages 9 - 12: 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. $10; Pre-registration required 601-442-9021; hjc@mdah.state.ms.us December 18 Yuletide Souls Festival Vicksburg Public Library 700 Veto Street Vicksburg, Mississippi 9 Southern Authors & 1 Artist Sell, Sign & Speak 10:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Free admission Erma Driver 601-634-0557

December 18 Magnolia Arts Market Local & NOLA artist Magnolia, Mississippi 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

601-783-5072; lorifelix@att.net

December 18 - 19 The Nutcracker, A Tale from the Bayou Baton Rouge Ballet River Center Theatre for Performing Arts Baton Rouge, Louisiana 2:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m.

225-766-8379 www.batonrougeballet.org

December 18 Treasures on the Trace Brandon Hall Natchez, Mississippi 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. $15 - Tours & Refreshments Local/National Artist Gift Shopping 601-304-1040; info@ brandonhallplantation.com www.brandonhallplantation.com

December 31 New Years Eve Bash!

Cuz & Company Easy Eddie & The Party Rockers Vidalia Conference & Convention Center Vidalia, Louisiana 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Cuz & Co. 9:00 p.m. Easy Eddie Tickets: $25 each Reserved Tables $225 (includes 8 tickets)

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January 9 St. John Berchmans in Concert First Presbyterian Church Natchez, Mississippi 2:00 p.m.; Free admission 601-392-1427 January 18 Floral Demonstration Lynette McDougald, AIFD Crawford Street Methodist Church Vicksburg, Mississippi 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

900 Crawford Street 601-636-5442 warrencountymastergardeners.com

Be sure to confirm details of the events should changes have occurred since events were submitted.

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THE Social Scene Brookhaven High School Homecoming Dance

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rookhaven High School in Brookhaven, Mississippi, celebrated Homecoming Weekend in late October with a dance at the National Guard Armory on Highway 84. Students in ninth through twelfth grades attended the dance that was planned and chaperoned by parents.

Alexis Wall, Logan Killingsworth, and Paige Smith

Pam Ayers, Chasity Wall, Brenda Smith, and Nancy Hoover

Leslie Davis, Heather Rego, Andie Netherland, Emily Green, Ivey Stillinger, and Sarah Moore

Audora Hill, Adrienne Benson, Katangelia Turner, and Kharisma Short

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Cai Richardson, Laurel Smith, Alex Calhoun, Kelsey Beckham, and Austin Lyons

Alexis Wall, Allyssa Craig, Alex Craig, and Jordan Shaw

Drew Granger, Ashley Stephens, Kathryn Rooker, and Adam Kavanay

Katie Grace Culpepper, Shelby Peavey, Madison Johnson, Shelby Case, and Audrey Montalvo

THE Social Scene

Ian Sicks, Sydney Smith, Danna Berry, Kelsey Douglas, and Lindsey James

Seniors: front—Tyler Thames, Jillian Sicks, Allyssa Craig, Sarah Ayers, and Amy Hoover; back—Lily Montalvo, Devan Smith, Laura Lee Lewis, Shellie Smith, Kelsey Bowman, Mark Rushing, and Happy Uppal

Shallon Williams, Erica Lenoir, Tyesha Batteast, and Tate Hammond

Brooks Foster, Rashana Stewart, Jeronn Parker

Dylan Farris and Karen Anne Patti

Andrea Jenkins, Georgette Faust, and Alexandria Blackwell

Karli Garcia and Kellye Sicks

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THE Social Scene Brookhaven Animal Rescue League Celebrity Dinner

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he Brookhaven Animal Rescue League of Brookhaven, Mississippi, hosted its seventh annual Celebrity Dinner and Silent Auction in October at Rusty’s Restaurant, raising $18,000. “Celebrity” waiters dressed up in various costumes and decorated their tables, and guests enjoyed a live auction as well. For more information on BARL visit www.barl.net.

Meg Foster and Stan Foster Chancery Clerk Tillmon Bishop and Rusty Adcock

Lu Becker and Debbie Brent

Olive McDowell and Dr. Braxter Irby

Patsy Yates and State Representative Becky Currie

Katie Grace Culpepper, Audrey Montalvo, Sarah Rice Warren, and Dr. Ray Montalvo

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Senator Cindy Hyde Smith and Anna Michael Smith

Anne Tillman Williams, Kate Legg, Anna Williams, and Alli Williams

DeLeslyn Brumfield, Rachel Brumfield, Cliff Brumfield, and August Brumfield

Dr. Bob Watson and Dr. Justin Dickerson

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THE Social Scene VAA Fall Art Show Reception

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ecently, The Vicksburg Art Association held its Thirtieth Annual Mississippi Artists Exhibition. The four-day event launched with a reception Saturday, October 23, at the Constitution Firehouse in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Patrons and members were greeted with hors d’oeuvres and wine along with some 150 individual works of art. The artists’ entries were judged prior to the reception, and awards were announced during the reception. James Smithhart won Best in Show for Window Box II, his Mixed-Media piece.

Photos by Glen Gregory

Dr. Bobbie Abraham

David Coker and Marianne Jay Jones

Toni Lanford-Ferguson and Harold Blue

Jill Upchurch and Janice Waring

Dr. Walter and Susan Johnston

Reverend Mark and Michelle Bleakley Melanie Thomas and Leslie Horton

Fred Katzenmeyer and Mary Thomas

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