Saturday, June 21, 2014

Eating Chinese Buffet Food

Most of us consume an inordinate amount of calories when dining at a Chinese buffet. As much as one thousand in a meal. (And lunch from the inviting pans of hot food may contain more sodium in it than most of us need to consume in a day.) This food has a Chinese influence, but it is Americanized with all our demands for high calories.

According to Calorie Count About.com, a serving of General Tso’s Chicken has 844 calories per serving. One solution is to get a tiny piece of chicken.

Next, a pile of crab Rangoon awaits hungry diners. Just one. That shouldn’t be too bad. Chicken is a popular diet foods, but the chicken on the buffet is fried and dipped in various sweet syrups. A mere bite of one and another . . . which one tastes better? Soon a mountain of food piled on a plate awaits our tingling fingers and salivating palates. At the table it all tastes alike because we mix it together, or at lest stack it in close proximity.

We know to avoid all those fried foods with crusts. Instead of fried chicken, we can choose chicken with broccoli, and for being good we can select one high-calorie food we’ve been craving. The broccoli cancels the calories.

Soup isn’t too bad. A cup of egg drop soup, if it isn’t loaded with chicken fat, may have as few as 100-120 calories. It is definitely a better appetizer than an egg roll, which may have 200-300 calories. Since we’re craving the crisp taste of something chewable, let’s try a spring roll, which supposedly has half the calories of an egg roll.

Who isn’t in a hurry these days? Sometimes we don’t like to spend time ordering food and waiting for it. This Chinese buffet has to be an improvement over fast food, right? Hurried travelers and business people often find Chinese buffets practical solutions for the problem of obtaining a quick lunch. Let us remember though that we don’t have time to go back and get a second or third plate of food.

The Great Wall Buffet, 2005 Lamar Street, Sweetwater, TX 79556, is a typical Chinese buffet restaurant. I honestly don’t see much difference in most of the Chinese buffets I’ve visited throughout the South.

One of the popular buffets in Ruston, LA, is Peking Restaurant, 1300 North Vienna Street. It has improved. Sometimes it features fresh, tasty sushi at the end of the buffet line. There’s something about all that food that is addictive. Plate after plate, we consume it until the waiter comes and offers a serving of ice cream.

Ruston now has a leaner alternative: Teriyaki Grill, 1913 E. Kentucky Ave. #6, Ruston, LA 71270. We can order Asian food, freshly prepared and not go back for seconds. At the restaurant’s website there are pictures of beautiful food, low in caloires and ample with proteins . . . but what about the sodium content?

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Eating at the Airport


One of the most entertaining ways to occupy time when I have to occupy an airport is to find something to eat. It’s important to take the food to a place near the gate for the pending flight. Occasionally there are places close enough to allow me to sit at a table, but more often than not it is prudent to sit in a chair and nurse carry-on luggage, along with food and drink.

Boarding a plane on Hollywood Avenue in Shreveport, LA, I learned two valuable lessons. First, liquids are not to be purchased before checking in at security. If there’s not enough time to eat in a civilized manner, it is better to check in and walk to the inside section. Two food counters are in this airport.The one outside the security check place seems more appealing. I think it may have more choices on the menu. It’s possible to buy a sandwich out there and take it through security, then buy a drink at the inside place.

The sandwiches at the Tailwinds are mouthwateringly delicious, the employees are pleasant, and the dining areas have an inviting ambiance. The entire airport has fascinating paintings on the walls. There is one problem though. It seems to take forever to cook a hot sandwich there.

The food service in DFW is quite different. Because the airport restrateurs are accustomed to seeing people run from gate to gate with the boarding places changing frequently, the cooks don’t dally around. Cousin’s B-B-Q, for example, can provide a delicious meal in a flash.

Monday, June 09, 2014

What's Great at McAlister's Now

When my friends and family go with me to McAlister’s, I order the same meal every time until something even tastier comes along. My favorite was the veggie spud until the Savannah chopped salad entered my life. By the way, men like salads; they find the Savannah chopped irresistible.

According to the McAlister’s website, A Savannah chopped salad consists of sliced, grilled chicken breast, dried cranberries, Gorgonzola cheese, honey roasted almonds, tomatoes and cucumbers. Chef's dressing selection: Sherry Shallot.

Calories: 440, Total Fat: 16 g, Total Carbohydrates 43 g, Dietary Fiber 11 grams, Protein 32 grams, 11 Weight Watchers Plus Points.

A typical conversation goes like this:
“Do you want to go to McAlister’s”
“Yes.”
Such a conversation means without saying:
“It’s time we had another Savannah chopped salad.”
“I’ve been waiting for you to say that.”

We’ve indulged in this salad at 1202 Pecanland Road, Monroe, LA 71203; also at 1671 E 70th St, Shreveport, LA 71105. The salad always tastes the same, which is somewhat wonderful, and the salad dressing is always on my mind.

Many more salads await us, but this first one we tried is so good we haven't been able to move on.

Sunday, June 08, 2014

A fellow author reviews Secret Promise

Having a fellow author compliment something I wrote is a gratifying experience. Kathy McKinsey, a sensitive writer who has written some family novellas, reviewed Secret Promise:

Secret Promise. Delightful. Heart wrenching.

Mary offers us both in this gripping story from Mississippi in the early 1900s. Jake and Caroline struggle with tragedy and sorrow, and wrestle through ups, downs, and twists before they find joy, love, and a sweet relationship with God.

Kathy McKinsey

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

My Cheatin’ Wife

Jameson Gregg through his clever writing is helping me lose weight.

Sharing:

I suspected my wife was fooling around behind my back. Recently, I found smoking-gun evidence and she confessed. Suspicion confirmed.

The trouble all started when she watched Oprah on TV one afternoon. I cringe when she watches Oprah. Some new diet or exercise regimen is always in my near future.

Sure enough, she announced we were going on the “clean gut” diet. The next day, Kroger’s produce section must have gone barren because our kitchen counters were laden with red, green, and yellow vegetables of all shapes and sizes. Full sink, cutting boards, boiling pots and whirring blenders. The place smelled like a bomb exploded in a cabbage patch.

I gagged on the spinach “milkshakes” and that left only veggie soup – no meat. After a few days of this torture, my legs were wobbly. Stars filled my eyes when I stood. The rabbit that nibbles my grass in the morning was eating better than I was.

I grew lethargic and shed pounds like water through your fingers, symptoms that my wife mysteriously seemed to avoid. Being the faithful husband, I carried on nonetheless.

She announced we were switching to the “pre-surgery” diet, something she lifted from a magazine.

“Why do we need the pre-surgery diet,” I protested, “when we have no surgeries planned?”

“That’s beside the point,” she explained. “It’s for rapid weight loss before surgery and it’ll be good for us, trust me.”

I became delirious from hunger. Cloudy thinking. Couldn’t remember where I put things. Lost favorite baseball cap. Looked in her car and BOOM! The smoking gun – an empty Wendy’s bag!

I grabbed it and confronted her. “What vulgarity have you inflicted upon your body? Have you been two-timing me?”

“Oh that. Goodness, I forgot to throw that away. I was running errands and my blood sugar got down on me [translation: she got hungry] so I had to grab something quickly, that’s all. Wendy’s was the closest thing.”

Culinary infidelity in the first degree. Furious, I stormed out and hightailed it to Wendy’s. I was in critical condition by then. Dizzy, I walked hangdog to the counter and could barely concentrate. Somehow, I rattled off “triple cheeseburger, large fries, and sweet tea.” Never had a triple in my life.

Meat and cheese, grease and ketchup, oh my. I instantly felt better. My vigorous, clear-thinking old self was back. Endorphins flowed like the chocolate Frosty that seeped into the cracks and crevices of my stomach. I clicked my heels in the air as I exited.

After that coming out, I went on a vicious eating binge to show my wife that two can play the game. Cheeseburgers, fried chicken, French fries, fried this, fried that. I went on a true pre-surgery diet – the open-heart variety. I’m happy to report we are back on a “normal” diet. I have forgiven her for her indiscretion.

Stop the presses, Oprah is back on TV!

Jameson Gregg Author
PUBLICATION: Dahlonega Nugget, The (GA)

SECTION: News, page 4A

DATE: April 16, 2014


Sunday, May 18, 2014

Review of Luck Be a Chicken: The Gizzards of Wrath

Jameson Gregg mixes raw realism and compassion with brazen satire in Luck Be A Chicken: A Comic Novel. He paints the rough side of life with comic relief. Farce and embellishment live on the top drawer of his humor toolbox.

The sensory impact, the humor when it is least expected, and the nail-biting anxiety propel the rapid turning of pages to the end. This book digs into the inner core of some unsavory elements of society. As a result, certain events portrayed and the language spoken may disturb some. Delving into the minds of rough characters can be shocking.

Jameson holds a cracked mirror in front of us. Somewhere, some piece of us all is in there, and we wish it weren't. For example, Butterbean Sweat and his dumpling wife Ruby rely on junk food to comfort them. Bean's boss is a perverted, white-collar criminal who doesn't care if his chickens kill people—profit is king.

Let’s not lie to ourselves and pretend chicken plants don’t exist. Although Jameson places the reader inside the plant, he does so with a comedic touch and doesn't smother the reader with grossness as Upton Sinclair did in exposing deplorable conditions in meat packing plants in 1906. Jameson portrays substandard practices in a fictional plant but doesn’t imply that all or even most chicken processing operations are substandard. The compassion Jameson shows for the less fortunate in our society will remind readers of John Steinbeck. With a backdrop of humor, Gregg questions whether hardships are caused by poor personal choices or oppression of evil men.

The deer hunt brought back fond memories of Faulkner’s great short story, “Race at Morning.”

This humorist tramps out a twenty-first century version of the gizzards of wrath. He doesn't turn his eyes away from the segments of humanity lacking coping skills.

A highly entertaining read from a most-talented author.

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Leaving the Garage Door Open

Have you ever left the garage door open when you needed to close it? Maybe you work in the yard or you use your garage for a tool shop. Breaking your routine, you go inside at the end of the day and leave it open. Since you always lower it, you don’t need to lock the door leading into the hallway.

Two a. m. you awaken and realize you’ve been sleeping in an unlocked house. Something in the night goes bump. . . . It’s an uneasy feeling.

Evidently this problem is common. The newest garage doors have built-in automatic door closers, but most house garages don’t have this great feature.

I’ve had some experiences with leaving the garage door up. I don’t like to think about them because they’re scary. A few weeks ago a friend introduced me to a product that solves the problem. It’s a little box that mounts on the wall near the garage door switch: Magic Closer

Magic Closer takes only about five minutes to install with a screw driver. It has three timer settings--5, 15 minute and 6 hour delay. Or if you wish, you can turn it off. No additional programming or syncing is necessary with your existing garage door opener. Before it closes, it gives audible and visible warnings.

After using it for weeks, I depend on it. I cannot imagine doing without it. This inexpensive devise is an integral part of the tight security system of my home. Because I like it so much, I’m sharing the information about it with you. Go to MagicCloser.com or click on the Amazon picture below:




Oh, here’s a surprise! The Magic Closer people include an 8 in One screw driver. Actually it’s much more. It’s a sturdy multi-screwdriver torch with a bright flashlight inside.

Saturday, April 27, 2013

What I Like about McAlister's

McAlister’s food is about the same wherever we go. Whether we’re eating at Laurel, Mississippi; West Monroe, Louisiana; Lubbock, Texas; or Amarillo, the quality is still good, the food is tasty, and most of it is low fat .

Usually I order a veggie spud. I discovered the Texas restaurants serve a little bowl of red salsa with it but the Southeastern restaurants don’t always know about the salsa. Every McAlister’s where we’ve been has the same formula for making iced tea. It always tastes like Mississippi tea, which is not as strong as Texas and Louisiana tea.

Most McAlister’s Delis have similar décor. Dr. Don Newcomb, a retired dentist, opened the first of these fast casual restaurants in 1989 in Oxford, Mississippi, home of the University of Mississippi. Now there are currently over 300 locations in 23 states, ranging from Virginia in the East to Florida in the South to New Mexico in West to Indiana in the Midwest.

“The original restaurant was started in a renovated gas station, and many of the elements of that original look are present in many McAlister's Delis built today, such as a garage door, and nostalgic black-and-white tile.” (Source: Wikipedia.)

In addition to baked potatoes, the menu includes deli sandwiches, soups, salads, and desserts. At McAlister’s it’s possible to obtain a quality meal quickly and not load up on sodium. The waiters are courteous, the portions are generous, and there’s always a crowd.

Friday, April 26, 2013

Dean's Smokehouse, Stringer, Mississippi

The barbecued meat at Dean's Smokehouse is outstanding. My sister Ruth and nephew Eddy, who live at Shady Grove just north of Laurel, said, “Mary, you’ve just got to try this place. You’re going to love it.” I did and loved it. The next time I'm in the Laurel area, I'll go back.

Dean's Smokehouse is located in the Stringer community on 746 Jasper Hwy 15 North of Laurel about 4 miles north of Jones County, 2 miles south of Stringer ,just north of County Road 153. It’s on the east side of the road. You can’t miss it.

The phone number is 601-428-1022. Dean’s Smokehouse is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 am to 9:00pm. You can use your credit card. Since the food is pricey and tempting, it is possible to need a credit card. People have been eating here since 2007. The day we went they were busy. Folks in Jasper and Jones County have been supporting this restaurant a few years. It’s good, even though it cost more than I expected.

They claim to serve Laurel's finest foods. While their food is tasty, I don’t think it’s Laurel’s finest because it isn’t in Laurel, and I’ve eaten somewhere in Laurel (not a barbecue place) that I preferred. Let’s just say Dean’s serves Stringer’s finest foods. At any rate, lunch was well seasoned and delicious.

The finest barbecue around – that’s another claim. I agree. It’s the best I’ve eaten in that part of Mississippi. All the trimmings – yes. The say they make their own barbecue sauce, baked beans, and coleslaw from scratch. It all tasted unique and yummy.

They advertise “unique ambiance.” What that means is the walls are covered with country antiques. It’s fun to look around at all the old stuff.

Dean’s Smokehouse has high quality meat and outstanding side dishes. The menu lists homemade dessert. The meal was so filling and tasty that we didn’t have room for it. By the way, Dean’s caters.

After 4:00 pm this barbecue place serves a ribeye steak dinner of USDA choice angus beef. Servings are 12 ounces or 16 ounces. The steak dinner includes a house salad, grilled toast, and a choice of loaded baked potato, home-style fries, or sweet potato wedges.

Here are the choices we had for lunch. Ribs ruled.
• 1/4 Chicken
• Pulled Pork
• Sausage
• Beef Brisket
• Sandwich Plate
• 1/2 Chicken
• 3 Ribs
• 1/2 Slab Rib
• Whole Slab
• Combo Plate (2 Meats)

Lunch plates are served with two of these sides:
• Corn Bread
• Onion Rings
• Baked Beans
• Coleslaw
• Potato Salad
• Turnip Greens
• Home Style Fries(skin on)
• Sweet Potato Wedges
• Side Salad
Another favorite is the chicken strip meal, three fried chicken strips with a choice of two sides.
Dean's Smokehouse

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

The Munch Box, Saline, LA

The Munch Box
1401 Fourth Street
Saline, LA 71070
(318) 576-3767

The natives of Saline say:
“Try the bacon cheeseburger.”
“Always get the chicken fried steak.”
“The fish plate is good.”

A few thoughts and observations:
It’s the only place to eat in the village of Saline.
The Munch Box is a unique experience with delightful local color.
Service was prompt.
The employee was congenial.
The local people were friendly.

My lunch:
A well-prepared salad began the meal.
The Texas toast was tasty, but hush puppies would have been more in keeping with the other food on the plate.
My fries were cold.
The meal included generous servings of tartar sauce and cocktail sauce.
The oysters were cooked thoroughly without an excess of batter.

Local attractions:
Carolyn Dorman Botanical Gardens (The log cabin is in the Botanical Gardens.)
Saline Watermelon Festival in July

Monday, December 17, 2012

Did Adam and Eve eat collards?

If Adam and Eve ate collards, did they eat them raw?

According to an article in http://Creation.comthe original dark green leafy vegetable was . . . you guessed it . . . collards (or maybe kale).

Quoting from the article:
 Cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kohlrabi and kale , some of the most nutritious of all, contain lots of minerals and vitamins, and antioxidants that greatly surpass the power of vitamins A, C and E—the antioxidants commonly available in vitamin pills. They also have substances that inhibit cancer cells.1 Clearly, vitamin pills cannot make up for the benefits of eating the real food that God created. Furthermore, you can eat ‘boatloads’ of these vegetables without getting fat—it sounds like many of us should be eating a lot more of them.

 (The author of this article states that collards and kale are of similar nutritional value and origin.)

 Raw? Yes, high quality tender young collards are delicious raw in salads and wraps. Also, collards marinated overnight are as tender as cooked greens.

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Friends and fellow writers ask me how I put my books together.

After stuffing myself with traditional Thanksgiving delights, I took a walk and thought about the way I write.

When I work on a writing project, I allow it to absorb most of me. I’ve tried not to become so involved, but I don’t seem to be able. Books about writing suggest making charts of the characters and listing the plot in individual scenes. I’ve tried, but so far I haven’t mastered those skills.

Instead, I move into the fringes of whatever I’m writing. At the moment I’m working on The Courtship of Miss Loretta Larson, which is a historical romance set in south Mississippi in 1908. Most of the story is Loretta’s, and she’s telling it in first person. I’m not Loretta, but I’m there listening to her and writing down what she thinks or writes in her journal. I’m her scribe.

Making charts confuses me. The characters change from what I originally conceived them to be. The plot changes as the characters deal with situations.

At some stages of the process, I have trouble concentrating on television programs, other writers’ work, or the life around me. In the middle of the night, I think or dream of the story. I awaken in the morning with the novel on my mind. I rush around so I can get to work writing . . . or is it play? Some writers tell me they don’t want to read other people’s writing while they are in certain stages of the process because they don’t want to be influenced. For me the problem is different. When my mind is full of my story, I cannot find room in my brain for anyone else’s book. At such times I read only nonfiction.

Some of my friends who have been published gazillions of times are much more organized. They know exactly what they want to say and how they want to say it. They organize charts of the characters, outline the plot, write a rough draft, and rework it two or three times. Voilà – a book is born.

I can’t work that way. Instead I write it and rewrite it. I take out, and I put back. I change the point of view. I look at the story through the eyes of different characters. In The Courtship of Miss Loretta Larson, as I said earlier, I’m Loretta’s scribe. Some days though I’m spending time with Chad to discover how he sees the events going on. After all, they are major concerns of his.

Once a week I bring two excerpts of the Loretta story to a critique group. While the critters crit my work, I crit theirs. The entire process is for me more play than work. It reminds me of sharing toys with cousins during childhood.

The process of going over my story countless times also reminds me of making furniture. I sanded and sanded and sanded until the wood was smooth. There was always a point at which too much sanding left the furniture rough because the soft sections of the wood became worn down. I have to look for that sweet spot in my writing where the project doesn’t suffer because I’ve rubbed out the smooth details that made it worthwhile.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Cabbage and Dark Greens

Leftover turkey giblet gravy – something to do with it
Ideas for turkey dinner leftovers are plentiful but what about leftover gravy?
Don’t throw it out. Use it as you’d use roux. Marvelous flavors will result from all those seasonings and drippings you cooked into your gravy. Take one little step to have delectable flavoring sauce. In greens? Yes!
—Sauté until tender:
1 stick celery, chopped fine
1 head cabbage, chopped fine
2 large onions, chopped fine
3 tablespoons olive oil
—Add and simmer covered until all the greens are tender:
1 cup water
1 pound frozen greens (mixed, turnip greens, mustard, collards)
1 tablespoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
—While the greens are cooking, liquefy in blender:
2 cups giblet gravy
—Lower the heat and add the gravy along with the final two ingredients:
1 (14.5 ounces) can diced tomatoes
1 packet (single serving artificial sweetener
—Adjust flavors to your own taste.

Friday, October 12, 2012

Secret Promise Reviewed by Paul Elliott, M. D.

Mary Lou Cheatham is wonderful, skillful author who is accomplished at threading compelling fictional stories with romantic interest through an accurate historical framework. Secret Promise, set in south Mississippi in 1907, is an excellent example. Secret Promise is an intriguing variation on the Cinderella theme. Mary Lou beautifully captures and energizes in the reader the range of feelings and politics of the days of prohibition, racial discord, and substandard schools in her home state at the turn of the Twentieth Century.

Hortense Clemons, the epitome of a wicked stepmother, has two goals: helping her daughters marry successful men and keeping plenty of moonshine available to treat her lumbago.

These are the days of prohibition, racial discord, and substandard schools. On the positive side, 1907 is in the middle of the era of innovation. Model T's and Coca Colas are new. Women are exchanging their hooped skirts and whalebone for a sleeker natural look. Senator Clemons works to improve conditions in Mississippi, while his daughter Caroline helps keep him in office.

Rage, pride, and unforgiveness overwhelm Jake. Who will help him find his way back to God? Will Caroline have enough courage to embrace life? Join her as she flees from her attackers. Follow her as she crosses racial barriers. Sit with her at the governor's table.

Come follow Caroline and Jake on romantic train rides, strolls under an umbrella in the rain, walks at night under gaslights. Cry with them, laugh with them. pray with them. See Caroline and Jake sit in a fringed topped surrey on a bridge on a secluded road. Does Cinderella marry the Prince? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Does the Secret Promise get in the way? You'll have to read Secret Promise to find out.

Secret Promise has the elements of historical fiction, a spine-tingling mystery, and the beauty of romance, yet the story moves with an urgency that compels the reader to beg for more.

Whether you prefer history, mystery, or romance you should read this book!

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Follow the link below to a new video about Secret Promise, an inspirational romance staged in 1907 in the South. Secret Promise

Monday, January 16, 2012

Let's Write Weekend, PPW's Exciting 2012 Conference

Frontiers in Writing, June 28-29, 2012, is 164 days away from today, January 16. I’m excited. And I’m grateful to the FiW 1012 Conference Committee:
Dr. Mike Bellah, Jim Gleason, Rory C. Keel, Phyliss Miranda, Barbara Propst, and Natalie Bright-Chair. Kenja Purkey, PPW President.

This year’s Friday night Keynote speaker is Jodi Thomas, New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist and RITA award winner. Another featured keynote speaker is John Erickson, best known as the author of Hank the Cowdog series of books, audio-books, and stage plays.

Other speakers are Arizona poet and writing instructor Harvey Stanbrough, former acquiring editor and ghostwriter Hilary Sares, and best selling author Candace Havens.

In addition to the above lineup, Panhandle Professional Writers will feature Jeff C. Campbell, former criminal investigator and author; Jim Gleason, Community Relations Manager at Barnes and Noble; Craig and Nancy Keel, both prize-winning authors; and Phyliss Mirando, an outstanding presenter, who is also a New York Times bestseller; Chris Steward, an attorney specializing in copyright issues; and Mary Lou Cheatham, author of story cookbooks, devotionals, and inspirational historic romances.

I’m going to enjoy this conference. I’m bringing plenty of pens and notebooks. Now let me tell you another reason I’m excited. Check the last name on that list. This is the first time I’ve spoken at a conference. And it’s a big fabulous conference. (I know it’s good – I enjoyed the 2011 FIW Conference.)

During the next 164 days, I will continue to prepare my fifty-five minute talk scheduled for Friday, June 28, 2012, about overcoming rejection. I am delighted to present “Reject Rejection” with my insights as a writer on the way up writers’ hill. Let's Write Weekend

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Terry’s Spicy Collard Soup

Terry Chrisman, a great north Louisiana cook, made a powerful pot of collard soup today. She said it had a spicy Italian-flavored kick. It was so good she didn’t have a leftover. She said she just made it up as she went along. She has a well-stocked spice rack. When she cooks, she says she “makes a pass by the spices.” Today she told us exactly what she added. With some cornbread, this soup would make an excellent New Year’s Day meal.

Terry’s Spicy Collard Soup

1 can collard greens (spicy ones)
1can pinto beans
1 can Rotel tomatoes and green chilies
1 can crushed tomatoes
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 chopped onion
1 heaping teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
a shake or two of parsley, Cajun seasoning, paprika, salt and pepper,
dash of Tabasco
1 cup seashell macaroni

Sauté onions and garlic. Add all other ingredients except macaroni. Add enough water or chicken stock (Terry uses water) to make it soupy, cook for ten to fifteen minutes, add macaroni. cook till al dent. Serve with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. (Terry adds parmesan last and stirs it in whole soup. She also adds one teaspoon of dry ranch style dressing mix.).Serve with dollop of sour cream.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Character Interview with Caroline from Secret Promise


Secret Promise is a historical inspirational romance to be released in early 2012.

Mary Lou: Hello, Caroline. Thank you for taking some of your time to talk with us today. I know you are busy.
Caroline: Yes, I’m very busy this summer. I have to make dresses for my stepsisters to wear in a revue. The styles they have selected are elaborate. As a result, I have to spend more time on these dresses than necessary. You see, the fashions they selected are out of style.
Mary Lou: Why didn’t you tell them?
Caroline: They went shopping without me. They never ask my opinion. They just go buy fabric and bring it home for me to sew.
Mary Lou: Too bad. What is the special occasion that requires them to wear new dresses?
Caroline: In our little town of Taylorsburg, we’re having a revue. The young ladies are going to be presented. I think they are trying to let the eligible bachelors see them look their best. The new man in town, Jacob MacGregor, is the master of ceremonies for the event. My sisters have their eyes on him.
Mary Lou: What are you wearing to the revue?
Caroline: I don’t have time to make myself a dress. Besides, my stepmother would have a fit if I participated.
Mary Lou: Why do you allow your family to mistreat you?
Caroline: It involves a secret promise I’ve made. I must make sure my family looks good in the community.
Mary Lou: So you make sacrifices because of your promise? I noticed your eyes sparkled when you mentioned Jacob MacGregor.
Caroline: All the young women in town are looking at him. He’s the new owner of the Mercantile. He may be interested in my sister Lydia. At least, she thinks so.
Mary Lou: Your situation seems hopeless. How do you handle it?
Caroline: I have to trust in the Lord. I look to our cook Rachel and Aunt Haley as my mother substitutes. I try to deal with my resentment. Lydia is mean like her mother, my stepmother. Millicent, the baby sister, may turn out all right, but she has no discipline.
Mary Lou: Thanks again for the time. I know you need to get back to your sewing.
Caroline: Oops, my last sewing needle broke. I need to head down to MacGregor’s Mercantile to buy a replacement. Maybe I’ll see Jake.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

When Cinderella Meets a Man like Job

Cinderella – the ever-popular old folktale of unjust cruelty – remains a favorite. For centuries Cinderella has been a favorite character. Imagine a real, true-to-life, beautiful young woman who is mistreated by a stepmother who abuses alcohol.

Now place this situation in 1907 in a south Mississippi timber-and-railroad town. What is the result? Caroline Clemons, who has made a secret promise she will keep no matter the cost. Her life’ struggles seem as impossible as those of the Cinderella we know and love.

To make matters worse, Prince Charming has endured a life similar to that of Job; but, unlike Job, he voices anger at the Lord. How can he overcome his perceived misfortunes and return to the love for God he knew before disaster struck?

Tonight I moved one step closer to giving you this inspirational romance with a historical setting. I edited the cover and the galley proofs. I am excited about sharing this book with my friends.

Monday, December 19, 2011

She lives alone with her dogs. They don’t hit her or yell at her.

A dear sweet friend of mine – let’s call her Sherrie – told me she found abusive men attractive. Her husband yelled at her, pushed her around, and eventually slapped her. She doesn’t divorce him, because she hopes and prays God will change his heart.

She has decided she should remain alone because she is not worthy of someone who would treat her well. Through a process of soul searching, she has come to realize why she feels unworthy of a decent man. When she was a teenager at home, her stepmother abused her. As she matured, she concluded she was unworthy of being treated kindly.
.
She lives alone with her dogs. They don’t hit her or yell at her. Her life has sadness in it that is painful to watch. Sherrie is beautiful, vivacious, intelligent, and accommodating. Her sense of humor and playful spirit brighten the lives of all the people with whom she interacts at work. Her Christian spirit radiates from within her.

When I was eight years old, I owned a little paperback novel telling the story of Cinderella. It was my favorite story. As soon as I finished it, I started over at the beginning and reread it. I never failed to emote with tears, laughter, or anxiety when I read certain passages. I knew Cinderella would marry Prince Charming, but in my heart I had trouble believing her story would end in such a happy fashion. At various points in the story, I used to stop and invent different conclusions.

In my romantic historical novel, Secret Promise, Caroline suffers from her stepmother’s abuse. Despite all her wonderful qualities, she sees herself as too flawed to expect a happy life. I hope you enjoy reading about Caroline, the brutal struggles of her life, her joys, and her sorrows. I hope you love Caroline as much as I have loved writing about her.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

A Walk down the Street One Week before Christmas



My neighborhood in north Louisiana doesn’t know we have only a couple days of autumn remaining. The leaves continue to glow with the beauty of fall colors. Some years the trees and shrubs are lovelier than others; this year the leaves have been exceptionally brilliant with subtle nuances.

I took Foxy, my standard poodle, for a walk down the street to admire the leaves this afternoon, but she had eyes only for the cat that teased her. She’s more interested in the winter wonderland we have after dark than in the leaves. Tonight the twinkling lights with plastic snowmen catch her eye.



After Christmas my neighbors and I will settle into a gray world punctuated by evergreens. We’ll be saying it’s raining too much or not enough. We’ll rejoice if we see any snowflakes. As always, springtime will come early. Then summer, our dominant season, will take over.


Do you ever wish you could stop time and hold onto one lovely moment? We keep walking down the street and doing all our other business until the time comes when time is no more.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Secret Promise

Sharing with you the opening of my first romantic novel, Secret Promise. It is due to be released soon.

Chapter One
The Clemons Household

Spring 1907

The thought occurred to Caroline that no one would believe what went on inside the Clemons household. She slipped out of Millicent’s bedroom. Glancing over her shoulder, she rushed through the dining room back to the warm kitchen, leaned by an open window, and drew the breeze into her lungs.

“Land’s sakes . . . you done got too hot.” Rachel brushed the thick soft back of her brown hand against Caroline’s cheek. “Sit a minute. I’ll fetch you some cool water.”

Caroline swigged it down and set the empty glass on the worktable. “Thank you, Madear. Got to go.”

“You can’t let Miss Horsey catch you back here when you supposed to be at the front door.”

In the parlor Caroline plumped the needlepoint-covered pillows on the sofa. A burst of wind blew a filmy curtain into her moist face. Reaching to straighten it, she looked through the window in time to see two Tennessee Walking Horses pull an elaborate surrey with fringe trim into the circle drive.

A dark-haired man perhaps in his early twenties stopped the team next to a hitching post. He jumped out to tie the horses and bounded up the steps to the high front porch.

A Sneak Peak at the Back Cover of Secret Promise

Secret Promise, my first historical romantic novel, is scheduled to be released in early2012. I'm excited to share with you what is to appear on the back cover:

Caroline is in hiding. She knows that lying in her bed seems too dangerous. If the wind blows, the curtains will fly open. Anyone passing in the yard will see her. She pulls the bed sheets and quilt onto the floor to make a pallet. Then she snuffs out the candle and finds her way to her makeshift resting place.

Caroline prays for God's protection as she lies, holding her pistol. Soon the morning will come, but the sky is still dark. Clump-clump. Clump-clump. It isn't the milkman; the horses and the wagon sound different.

The wagon pulls into the back driveway, and a man's thudding steps came closer, closer, and closer. He pushes against her door. Stuck—this door is stuck. He crashes into it, but the door does not budge. How will Caroline escape?

She watches the front room through the crack by the kitchen door. She feels an inexplicably strong attraction to the handsome young man.

Years ago she made a promise, which she will honor at any cost.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Guest Blogger: Paul Elliott, The Collard Patch, The Story of the Collard Greens Cookbook

If you think you don’t like collards, you haven’t tasted our collards.

The Collard Patchstory cookbook began life in Sister Ruth’s Laurel, Mississippi, collard patch. She invited us to pick a mess of collards, and did we pick a mess! We even made a mess. After the first big black plastic bag full, Mary said, “Paul, what are we going to do with all these collards?”

With a cavalier toss of his head, Paul said, “We’re going to fix them and eat 'em.” Of course, Paul wasn’t even sure he liked collards, didn’t know what they tasted like. Four big plastic bags of collards later, the cleaning and chopping process saw dawn’s early light. What a J-O-B!

Now reduced to many freezer bags of chopped collards and much needed sleep, the challenge of what to do with them remained. Fifteen thousand messes of collard greens with salt pork somehow overwhelmed our interest in healthy eating.

When an online search for a cookbook devoted to collard greens was fruitless, searches for individual recipes showed very little diversity or imagination. Mary went to work thinking of unusual ways to cook with collards. Paul signed up as a certified eater.

It was quickly obvious that the files were the beginning of a fine cookbook devoted solely to collard greens and cornbread. Research revealed the amazing nutritional value of collard greens – better than spinach, turnip greens, and mustard greens. (For more details look in The Collard Patch.)

Mary’s creativity soon yielded delicious recipes from appetizers to desserts. Yes, desserts! Collard greens make chocolate taste better. Did you ever realize you can eat your chocolate and get your greens? Other than eating Mary’s creations, Paul created stories of growing up in collard country – tales of his misspent youth.

It seems that a second edition may be on the horizon and we have some inventory to clear. Grab your copies for gifts at an unbelievably low price. Stock up for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries, and wedding gifts.

At $23.97 it was a cookbook bestseller on Amazon.com. This offer we’re making now on Amazon is good only while the supplies last. Maybe the price is too low. Go here to learn more.

Guest Blogger: Paula Taylor. Family Gardening Legacy, Traveling Bulbs

Paula Taylor lives in Amarillo. She is in the process of writing her first novel, which reveals her sensitivity as she delves deeply into her characters' motivations. She has a unique talent for turning a phrase.

Because I enjoyed her comments about bulbs, I want to share this article with you. Thanks, Paula.


My dad's mother was an avid gardener. She could grow anything...my dad can too! Anyway, my grandmother followed the habits of most women from her era and moved plants and bulbs with her whenever she moved. I can only imagine the arguments that caused with their spouses!

She came from Iowa to Missouri. Then to Oklahoma, next Texas, back to Oklahoma, Arkansas, Oklahoma, then Arkansas again before finally staying In Oklahoma in her later years. She moved plants everywhere she went as the story goes.

I always loved helping her in her garden. One of my favorite plants was a pink lily she called a “Surprise Lily” or a “Naked Lady Lily”. It was unique because it sent up foliage in the spring, died back to nothing, and then in late summer sent up a single stalk where a cluster of gorgeous pink lilies bloomed.

My dad has many of Gram’s bulbs and has shared this particular one with me. Being the “Greedy Gus” that I am, I wanted more. I found that these bulbs are almost antique and very difficult to find. Ultimately I located a company called “OLD HOUSE GARDENS” which salvages old bulbs from places and then cultivates them for stock to sell.

If you like flowers, a copy of their catalogue is a must. The pictures and descriptions are fabulous. I now have more bulbs planted in my yard and am dreaming of ways to use more of these beautiful old plants in the future.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

A Christmas Special, Flavored with Love at a Ridiculously Low Price

Something nice for Christmas for Less than Five Dollars

Many readers and cooks have delighted in Flavored with Love, my story cookbook. My sister in Laurel, Mississippi, sold almost 2,000 of the first and second editions. When Paul Elliott and I wrote The Collard Patch, I revised Flavored with Love a third time. It has sold constantly on Amazon for $22.97. Not long ago I reduced the price of Flavored with Love to $15.00. Just in time for Christmas I have reduced it to $4.95, a price so low I'm losing money; but I want you to have this book to enjoy. It would make an excellent Christmas gift. Right now there are only three available on Amazon, but more will be on the way soon. When I wrote this, I used the pen name Jane Riley, my imaginary cousin. She tells about the cooks in my family -- the way they act, what they cook for holiday meals and for every day good eating.

You'll be surprised that it is a big cookbook in big print.

Product Description:
Flavored with Love, Mary Lou's Family and Friends Can Cook, Third Edition, is a wonderful story cookbook. Experience the recipes for some of the most delicious food you'll ever put in your mouth. Delight in the intimate glimpses into the lives of some precious, colorful people! Take a culinary trip through the South from Texas to the Carolinas, while you plan to spend most of your time in south Louisiana and Mississippi. Imagine the delightful aromas wafting through your house as you enjoy the heart warming stories. Flavored with Love introduces you to a beautiful blending of flavors in a cookbook packed with more than 300 favorite nostalgic recipes in big print. Enjoy the personalities related to the recipes. Learn secrets from the kitchens of some of Louisiana's favorite restaurants. Collect some hard to find south Louisiana recipes. Learn about the simple recipes that have won cooking contests. Have fun with food and cooking facts. You don't have to be a cook to enjoy Flavored with Love.

What Friends Say about Flavored with Love:
I have been browsing through Mary Cheatham's cookbook Flavored With Love for some time now, and have found it growing on me the more I dip into it. I started out skimming through it just reading the fascinating recipes. But after a while I noticed that the little stories around the recipes were not just filler, but fascinating in their own right. These stories are wonderful little snippets of Southern life starring Mary's family and friends from times gone by, evocations of an era when the pleasures of life were simpler and available to all, rich or poor. Buy it! Read it cover to cover. I particularly liked the story where little 4 year old Mary Lou caught the biggest Bream that had ever been caught and what happened to the Bream the next day. This story was, of course, followed by a recipe for Fried Bream. I live in Western Australia, on the opposite side of the world to Mary, and we don't get much in the way of Southern food out here (apart from Col. Sanders)... But Mary's recipes are so interesting, dripping as they do with the flavours of the South, and I certainly intend to introduce some of them to my family. I highly recommend Mary's cookbook, not just for her incredible recipes, but also for her personal introduction to her family and other interesting people via her warm and memorable stories. --Lex Edmonds, Perth, Western Australia

I own several cookbooks, and this is the only one I would suggest reading cover to cover. In real life I am an auto mechanic, and I have to use exact measures and specifications. I love to cook and not worry if everything is the same as last time. Mary's recipes can all be added to or changed just enough to make them your own, but her humorous way of preparing to cook a pan fish by first catching the fish, or the warning at the end of one recipe about beating your brains out with your tongue, these will only be found in a cookbook written by someone who cares about real people. Some of the best cooking I have done was at the expense of a healthy dish. I love cholesterol, fat, and salt. I am a Louisiana state certified food handler and probably the only mechanic to hold that license. The other day Mary came into my shop and told me that her radio, steering, and electric windows all quit working when she put her car in reverse. Most people would have doubted her, but knowing Mary, and some of the things she has done I started working on her car. I owe my job to a killer pecan pie, and hope to get a raise with this new book. May the Lord bless you and keep you, Mary. --Walker Gay, Choudrant, Louisiana

Mary Lou, thanks for a great cookbook. You share so many downhome real family recipes that it's often hard to decide what to fix next. The little stories you add all bring a smile to my face. You sure can cook. --Willie Crawford, Renowned Internet Marketer, Navarre, FL,

Monday, November 21, 2011

Cornbread Salad

We Southerners love our cornbread. For the Simsboro First Baptist Church Thanksgiving meal, I made Cornbread Salad, an unusual dish that has become popular on the salad bars of all-you-can-eat seafood and catfish restaurants. If you like the tastes of raw vegetables, bacon, mayonnaise, pickles and cornbread, you will be unable to stop with one bowl of this unique salad.

Cornbread salad is featured in Flavored with Love by Jane Riley (my penname). My sister Ruth Ishee contributed it to the cookbook. She said I should take a big bowl of cornbread salad to the party. She was right. Several people wanted the recipe.

She suggested I dress it up by adding something. I made four batches and added one pound of frozen whole kernel corn (uncooked). Instead of four green bell peppers, I used two green bell peppers and two orange bell peppers.

Cornbread Salad


1 box (8½ ounces) corn muffin mix
1 egg
⅓ cup milk
4 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 medium green bell pepper chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
½ cup sweet pickles, chopped
10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup light mayonnaise
¼ cup sweet pickle juice

Preheat oven to 400°. Grease a 6-cup muffin tin. Blend the first 3 ingredients. Let the batter rest 4 minutes. Pour the batter into the muffin cups and bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Allow it to cool, and crumble it.

Combine tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, pickles, and bacon. Toss gently. Combine mayonnaise and pickle juice. Mix the mayonnaise mixture with the vegetables. Arrange the vegetable mixture and cornbread mixture in layers in a large glass bowl. Cover and chill 2 hours. Toss lightly before serving.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Mom’s Dressing, Our Family's Favorite Thanksgiving Recipe

Mom’s Dressing

My mother-in-law, Mary Cheatham, cooked this traditional family recipe. (Because her name was Mary and for a few more reasons, I have reverted to the name Mary Lou Cheatham to avoid confusion, although most of my friends except the ones in Taylorsville and on Facebook, call me Mary.)

Fanny, a precious friend in Peru, is a missionary and the wife of a missionary from Louisiana. She is planning to cook a USA Thanksgiving dinner and needs help. I am posting this recipe for her and for you if you’d like to try some of the best traditional cornbread dressing I’ve ever eaten.

2 batches cornbread prepared according to the instructions on the mix (Mom uses Martha White buttermilk mix; we use Jiffy®.)
½ - ⅔ large loaf white sandwich bread
6 large onions
1 bunch of celery less 2 stalks
½ bunch parsley
1½ teaspoons thyme
1 teaspoon sage
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
Salt to taste
5 large eggs
Hot water or chicken broth (depending on the use of the dressing.)
Cooking oil

In a huge pan crumble the cornbread; tear the white bread into small pieces.

Sauté the celery and onions in oil but do not allow them to brown. Cut the long stems off the parsley and tear the parsley into small pieces. Stir the vegetables and the seasonings into the breadcrumbs. With vigorous stirring, add the eggs. Continuing to stir, add enough hot water to make a moist dressing. (Alternate directions: if the dressing is to be served as a side dish instead of stuffing, moisten it with chicken broth.)

Cook the dressing in a scant amount of oil in a large electric skillet until it is warm. Adjust the seasonings according to your mood.

Store the dressing in the refrigerator until it is time to stuff the turkey. (If the dressing is to be served as a side dish at a later time, bake it until it is light golden brown on top. Store it in the freezer.)
***
Having lived in Louisiana for more than half my life, I’ve become addicted to cayenne pepper. This dressing is better if you shake a little cayenne into it. Stir well so one of your guests won’t get a mouth full.
***
Just a reminder: Stuffing is cooked inside a bird, and dressing is cooked outside of it. My mother-in-law used this recipe to stuff a turkey, and she always had two cake pans of it left over no matter how big her bird was.
One more note: My daughter and I have stopped cooking the dressing in a small amount of oil. (See the last step of the recipe.) Mom did that to avoid food poisoning from stored raw eggs. Instead of frying it again, we mix it just before we bake it. Then there is no danger. I never stuff a bird. Instead I cook it in a separate pan. It’s lighter and lower in calories. Also there’s no danger this way. The problem of food poisoning arises when a bird is stuffed.



This recipe is featured in Flavored with Love, available on Amazon.com

Friday, June 17, 2011

Edward H. Davis Interviews Mary Lou Cheatham, Part 6 (Final Section)

Ed: And finally, may we please use one of the recipes from your book -your choice -in our book, or do you have another (newer?) one you'd let us include?

Mary: As soon as we published The Collard Patch we realized we didn’t put enough recipes of our favorite way to eat collards when they are tender: wraps. We published a little bonus e-book called Collards Notebook, which I will gladly send to anyone who asks for it. I cannot make it into a Kindle book because it has colored pictures illustrating the following recipe.
Wraps with Collard Greens

Ingredients
Collard greens
Flour tortillas (12" is preferred)
Tuna spread (Use any spread you like, or use meat and cheese. In Flavored with Love, I have included a unique tuna salad recipe.)

Preparing the Wraps
Begin with thoroughly washed collard leaves.
Two methods to wilt the leaves:
Dip them into a shallow pan of boiling water for approximately 15 seconds and drain them on paper towels
OR
Wrap them in damp paper towels and microwave them 15 seconds or longer if they need it.
Second step: Fold the wilted leaves and cut the stem out. Try not to let the leaf fall into two pieces.
Tortillas are sometimes sticky. Warm the tortillas in the microwave 15 – 30 seconds, depending on the size of the package. Warming makes them more pliable – easier to separate and roll. Carefully separate the tortillas. (Tactic for separating the tortillas: work a sheet of waxed paper between them.)
Cover the tortilla with a collard leaf. The 12" size is the right size to go under a leaf.
Spoon a generous amount of the spread in a row on one end of the collard leaf and tortilla.
Too much spread will squoosh out the bottom.
You have two choices:
Make the wrap neat and skinny. You may need to eat two of them!
Make the wrap big and eat one.
A layer of Swiss, cheddar, or Romano cheese could be placed along the top of the spread.
Or if you are a spicemouth, you may want to add some jalapeño slices.
Wrap it tightly and carefully. Start at the side that has the filling on it. To reduce squooshing, you may want to fold in one side as you wrap it.
Toothpicks are useful to hold the wrap together.
Slice at angles or eat a whole one by yourself.

Edward H. Davis Interviews Mary Lou Cheatham, Part 5

Ed: We have found that mustard greens are more popular than collards in many parts of Louisiana.

Mary: What I learned from interviewing people that some prefer one green over another. Many people like to cook two or three varieties of greens in the same pot. Such recipes are included in The Collard Patch.


Ed:
Do you have any idea why collards are more popular in the Hill Country?

Mary: They look pretty in flower beds. Those big broad blue leaves look like expensive plants.


Ed:
And here's another odd question, related to something written by a Louisiana writer: Have YOU ever heard anyone use the phrase "a bate of collards" (meaning a mess)?

Mary: No, and I couldn’t find ”bate of collards” on google.

Ed: I know from your writings that your faith is at the center of your life: so can you see any connection there with cooking collards? (I figure that is a tough one, so you can ignore it if you wish!)

Mary: This question is an easy one, Edward. We all know that the body is the temple of the soul and the Holy Spirit lives within the heart of every Christian. Add to this knowledge the fact (as documented by food analysis) that collard greens are one of the most nutritious vegetables available. What better way is there to take care of our bodies – and honor God – than to dig into a plate of collards?

Edward H. Davis Interviews Mary Lou Cheatham, Part 4

Ed: Which unusual recipe has really made a surprising splash?

Mary:Dr. Paul Elliott, the co-author of The Collard Patch , helped develop the following recipe. We prepared if for food demonstrations. Tasters kept coming back to our table and asking for another little cup of it. It’s a mixture of south Louisiana gumbo, red beans and rice, and a mess of collards all in one pot.

When we appeared on Chef John Folse’s radio program, he raved over this gumbo. We call it Texianne cooking because it is what happened when a Texas cook and a Louisiana cook poured ingredients into one pot.

Red River Gumbo

Ingredients
1 cup small red beans
⅓ cup all purpose flour
⅓ cup olive oil
1 chopped onion (approximately 1 cup)
1 chopped green bell pepper (approximately 1 cup)
1 cup chopped celery
4 cups finely chopped fresh collards
6 ounces Richard’s tasso, finely chopped
1 can Ro*Tel® diced tomatoes with green chilies
2 cups cooked, diced pork or other meat of choice
2 tablespoons chili powder
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound crawfish tails
2 cups frozen mixture of okra, tomatoes, and onions
Salt to taste
Ground pepper to taste

Preparation
•Soak the beans overnight, empty the water cover again with fresh water, and cook until they are tender:
•Make a roux in the Dutch oven by browning the flour in the oil. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, collards, and tasso. Stir and continue to heat. Add enough warm water to cover the mixture as it continues to cook.
•Add the Ro*Tel®, pork, chili powder, lemon juice, and red beans; keep the pot simmering. Add water as needed.
•Sauté the crawfish tails in butter until they are warmed throughout.
•After the gumbo has cooked until the vegetables are slightly tender, add the tomato-okra mixture and crawfish.
•Adjust the seasonings by adding salt and red pepper as desired. Simmer until all the ingredients are warm throughout and the flavors are starting to smell so good you have to eat it.

Sprinkle on some gumbo filé. Serve it over rice.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Edward H. Davis Interviews Mary Lou Cheatham, Part 3

Ed: Which recipe from your book (it has so many! My wife and I like several) has gotten the most compliments from readers?
(Answer continued)

Mary: Many cooks don’t want to take the time to prepare fresh collards. Here’s a popular frozen collard recipe, which many health-conscious readers prefer:

Simply Delicious Collards

Ingredients
1½ cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 cups (1 pound) frozen chopped collards
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon basil leaves
2 tablespoons Splenda®
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
Salt substitute to taste
Ground red pepper to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation
•In a large heavy pan or Dutch oven, heat ½ cup water with the oil until it is very hot.
•Add the greens and garlic. Cover and cook 5 minutes.
•Add the remaining ingredients and cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated.
Having said all this, I need to add that the first recipe in The Collard Patch is the world’s most famous. For years it was number one on google under the heading “collard greens.” Willie Crawford, famous Soul Food cook and internet marketer allowed me to feature this recipe – Awesome Collard Greens.

Edward H. Davis Interviews Mary Lou Cheatham, Part 2

Ed: Which recipe from your book (it has so many! My wife and I like several) has gotten the most compliments from readers?

Mary: The key word in that question is readers. Here’s the one tasters rave over most. It has a few collards and plenty of other yummy ingredients. This recipe is not traditional.

Crawfish Tortellini Salad
Ingredients
½ cup thinly sliced green onions with tops
1 small jar artichoke hearts, drained
1 cup small fresh mushrooms
1 cup large pitted ripe olives
1 cup fresh red bell pepper, sliced
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
12 ounces frozen crawfish tails
1 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt-free Cajun seasoning
½ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon spicy mustard
1 teaspoon Splenda®
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt substitute to taste
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1 cup seedless golden raisins
1 package (14 ounces) cheese tortellini
4 ounces (1/4 cup) feta cheese
4 cups tender baby collard leaves, chopped
4 cups Romaine lettuce, torn into small pieces

Preparation

•Place the first 6 ingredients in a big bowl
•Place ¾ cup olive oil in the blender. Add the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard and all the remaining powdered seasonings. Blend until it is well mixed. Stir in the parsley and basil.
•Pour the blended dressing over the ingredients in the bowl and marinate them covered at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.
•Sauté the crawfish in ¼ cup olive oil and Cajun seasoning about 5-7 minutes. Even though there will be other seasoning mixed with the tortellini, each individual crawfish needs its own spiciness. You don’t want those crawfish to get lonesome. After you sauté them long enough to catch the seasoning, set them aside to cool,
•Cook the tortellini according to the package directions. Cook it al dente. Drain it in the colander and allow it to cool.
•Toss the crawfish, tortellini, and raisins with the vegetable mixture.
•When you serve the salad, place it over the greens. Garnish it with feta cheese.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Edward H. Davis Interviews Mary Lou Cheatham, Part 1

Edward, before you start asking me questions, I’d like to ask you a few.

Mary:Why did you write a book about collards?
Ed: My colleague John Morgan and I have been curious about several things: the decline of home gardening since WW2, and the unique history, botany and geography of collards as a leafy vegetable - none of the other vegetables have such an interesting background! No geographer has done a food study at this scale, since the South is such a large cultural region, so it made for a fascinating challenge.

Mary: What is the name of your book?
Ed: Collards and the American South

Mary: How did you go about writing the book?
Ed: This is academia so we were just doing research for small publications - journals you would never hear about, but then we learned more and more and a few years ago someone suggested we could have enough of a story for a book. We began in 2000 by interviewing farmers and gardeners, then as the project grew we ended up surveying agricultural extension agents, seed savers, grocery store produce managers, restaurant owners, seed store retailers, and even 11,000 college students! That last piece is part of a larger project about food in the South - not all of that goes in the collards book.

Mary: Did your wife help you?
Ed: Sandy is a big help in my life, even though she works also as a community college teacher. She did not work on the book, but I ws lucky to have her all along. For example, she allowed me to disappear on long expeditions for weeks at a time!

Mary: What is your book like? Please describe it.
Ed: You got a glimpse in the answer to the third question. It is going to be like a journey through ten Southern states, from Arkansas to Virginia, but with lots of history and agriculture and geography and economics and even literature thrown in, since collards show up not just at covered dish suppers but in novels, poems, songs, festivals, fashion shows, interior decorations, celebrity scandals, and even prison farms!

Mary: What is one of the recipes in The Collard Patch you and your wife like?
Ed: One of the casseroles - I don't have the book with me to remember the exact name of it - but it was a big hit at my family reunion!

Friday, May 20, 2011

Books by Mary Lou Cheatham



I'm Choking . . . But Life Moves On Along the Path of Grief (Insights about Grieving:
"The process of grieving is like walking through a murky swamp. In this e-book I want to talk with you about the way it feels. There's no way I can know exactly what you are going through, not even if we could sit and talk and you could tell me. I will tell you though that I have experienced grief and known many other dear ones who have." Mary Lou Cheatham

The Collard Patch:
"I highly recommend The Collard Patch to anyone who loves cooking good, healthy, down-home food." Willie Crawford, The World's Leading Soul Food Expert

Do You Know How God Loves You?:
"If the question were actually asked of us 'Do You Know How God Loves You?' I'm afraid most of us would have to say 'I haven't got a clue!' It's easy to go through our normal daily routine without giving a thought to God's love. This book can help change that. Mary Cheatham has written a lovely devotional book that takes the reader deep into the heart of Scripture where, day by day, she examines the many facets of God's love for his people. I can't imagine anyone reading this without being informed, enriched and encouraged. I know I was!" Ann Tatlock, author one of the Top Ten Historical Novels of the year according to Booklist Magazine

Do You Know How God Loves You? [Kindle Edition]:
"I requested through Amazon that your publisher make your book available in an Amazon.com Kindle edition, so Kindle readers can find it and enjoy it 'on the go'. God bless you for such a wonderful book that reminds us of God's presence and love for each one of us." RBS Prods, one of the top 500 reviewers on Amazon

A Prayer of Nehemiah, The Birth of Leadership [Kindle Edition]:
Assuming a role of leadership can be challenging. We face all kinds of problems when we step out to lead. The struggles a leader faces are human problems that have not changed over the centuries of history. "Nehemiah, a cupbearer for a Persian king more than 400 years before Christ was born, led a company of his people from Babylon to Jerusalem, where he restored the walls and civil authority. Where his nation once existed, he found ruins. His challenge was for him a great one." Mary Lou Cheatham

Solomon's Porch:
"In this warm, personal story of a devoted marriage, a tragic illness, and incredible perseverance, Jane Riley presents us with the full spectrum of good and evil. But it is not done through high drama, or in complicated philosophic terms. Rather, with a constrained writing style she shows us how it appears in our ordinary, everyday, lives: good friends and devious friends; doctors guilty of deplorable malpractice and callousness, and doctors moved by unswerving concern for their patients; churchgoers who run the gamut from cruelty, hypocrisy and selfishness, to those kindhearted souls that harken back to the early Christians who met at Solomon's Temple and shared compassion and love for one another. All of this is dealt with, fought with, and savoured, in this story of a loving wife-mother-and-caregiver's story, which is gently and beautifully written (with a wonderful knack for dialogue), and -- as several reviewers have already noted - very hard to put down." Andrew Cort, author of "The Purpose of Religion: Enlightenment, Meaning and Love in Jewish, Christian and Islamic Symbology"

Flavored with Love: Mary Lou's Family and Friends Can Cook:
"Jane Riley is a pen name for Mary Lou Cheatham. 'Jane' has garnered recipes from her lifetime of cooking, mostly from family members and friends, to compile this omnibus cookbook. 'Flavored with Love' is additionally punctuated with a nostalgic overview of the Louisiana and Mississippi regions, and its people, in particular." Patrick Crabtree, one of the top 500 reviewers on Amazon.

All quotations are from reviews and product pages on Amazon.com

Sunday, May 08, 2011

E-Book about Grief: I'm Choking . . . But Life Moves On Along the Path of Grief (Insights about Grieving)

Months pass; nothing changes. We sleep in our beds, awake to the buzzing of our alarm clocks, go about our daily routines, enjoy our health, feed the dogs, and interact with our families. We start thinking that our lives will always be the same.

No matter what we think, life moves on. Someone close – a family member or a cherished friend – dies.



It's okay to cry. It's okay to grieve just as it's okay to eat. Problems arise from negative effects when we become stuck and continue to gratify our yearnings and uneasiness by luxuriating in abnormal amounts of normal behavior.


Saturday, May 07, 2011

Have Yourself a Happy Little Mother's Day

What makes holidays sad?

It's Mother's Day and we're supposed to be happy, but it doesn't always work that way.

This realization became evident to me when I was a young girl. In our yard we had several varieties of roses in all colors. We always pinned them on our dresses for church. Those whose mothers were living were supposed to wear red ones. Those whose mothers were deceased wore white ones.

The year after my grandmother died, I remember going out and selecting the roses. Our red ones were small, but the white rose blooms we had were huge and impressive. The one we found for Mother that year was the most beautiful I had ever seen. I still remember the bittersweet expression on her face.

On holidays the memories of the times when we were all together can overwhelm us. The personnel at our gatherings changes. Some of us have no one. We tend to romanticize the past times -- to see them through rose-tinted lenses. Our minds tell us the good old days were better than they could have possibly been.

As much as possible, it's best to look for ways to make each holiday special within the context of the joys we have today. It's time to make some new happy memories.

I have published a new Kindle book entitled "I'm Choking But Life Moves On Along the Path of Grief." It is under review and is scheduled to appear in Kindle today. The purpose of this book is to help us deal with grief.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Light Chocolate Cake

Lightening Up Chocolate Cake

It is possible to have what you want, eat what you love, and lose weight. Small choices made daily will bring big results By thinking ahead about food, I’ve managed to lose weight slowly.

Last night I wanted chocolate cake. By making a few adjustments I was able to enjoy a great cake without going on an eating binge. In the recipe I substituted soy milk, which has only 70 calories per cup. Instead of making a layer cake with rich frosting or cooking a chocolate pound cake with an abundance of butter, I made a simple chocolate cake in a bundt pan. By the way, this cake was easy to prepare.

I took the cake while it was still warm to a meeting and enjoyed a slice with whipped topping. The others attending seemed to enjoy the rich chocolate taste as much as I did. When I left the meeting, I left the cake with my hostess.

I always use Hershey’s Cocoa. It happens to be the cocoa I like.

Here’s the recipe:

Chocolate Cake
2 cups sugar
1¾ cups self-rising flour
¾ cups Hershey’s cocoa
2 eggs
1 cup soy milk
½ cup plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup hot coffee (decaffeinated or regular)
Canned light whipped cream
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the bundt pan with cooking spray and add 2 teaspoons vegetable oil to make sure the cake doesn’t stick.
Combine the dry ingredients. Mix in the eggs, soy milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat 2 minutes. Add the hot coffee.
Bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. This should be about 45 minutes.
Turn onto a pan.
Slice while it is still warm and serve it with whipped cream. The cake has a rich chocolate taste.

I'd love to read your suggestions about ways to lighten up favorite foods. You can send me a message on Facebook.

Friday, April 30, 2010

Quinoa

Recently I tried some NatureCrops Nutrition Bars
containing quinoa. (It's pronounced “keenwa.”) Delicious! I especially liked the way the quinoa seeds popped when I chewed them. I couldn't wait to try cooking quinoa.

We bought a cup of quinoa seeds in the bulk foods department at Central Market in Plano, Texas. This evening I cooked it for supper. Yum!

DIRECTIONS ON THE BAG: Add 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water or broth. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 15-20 minutes. Yields 3 ½ cups. Serve as a side dish. Add sauteed onions and vegetables.

I don't like to run to the store. Usually there is something on hand that can make a tasty meal. While the quinoa seeds simmered in broth, I found enough vegetables to fill a huge skillet: frozen English peas, broccoli, green bell peppers, corn ; fresh onions, garlic, carrots. I stir fried the vegetables in a small amount of olive oil. After combining the vegetables and the quinoa, I added a generous amount (six tablespoons) powdered green chili dissolved in water, a big shake of black pepper, and a small amount of cumin. Then I stirred that together.

Topped with sour cream and a small amount of grated cheddar in bowls, it was a winner.

Quinoa was cultivated in the Andean region of South America by the Incas. It's been an important food for thousands of years. The greens can be eaten as a nutritious food.

Three and one half ounces of uncooked quinoa seeds contains 368 calories with 7 grams fiber. It's rich in vitamins, especially thiamine, riboflavin, B6, and folate.

The seeds can be toasted and served in salads or with toasted nuts. It is a good source of essential amino acids; therefore vegetarians find it a healthy choice.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

As people throughout the United States are developing a love for Louisiana food, where do they get their recipes?

After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, a wave of desire for the Louisiana food experience swept across the country with the Louisianans. People began wanting to eat more Cajun food, to collect more Louisiana recipes, and to read more of the lore of Louisiana.

Using the pen name of Jane Riley, I wrote the story cookbook reader, entitled Flavored with Love: Mary Lou's Family and Friends Can Cook

This book is full of heart-warming stories and yummy recipes about and by my relatives and friends who live mostly in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas.

After Katrina and Rita hit the region, people buying and reading Flavored with Love, Second Edition, begged for more south Louisiana food and experiences.

To meet these requests I interviewed cooks with knowledge of authentic Cajun and Creole food in Louisiana towns such as Grammercy and Donaldsonville to add to the book. I persuaded some of the leading Louisiana restaurateurs to share their tastiest recipes in Flavored with Love. I interviewed south Louisiana people and captured their words the way they spoke them.

Flavored with Love, Third Edition, contains New Orleans influenced cuisine, Mississippi comfort food, and spicy Texas dishes. It introduces a new style of intermingled cooking–La Cusine Texianne®.

Many of the recipes are for the best old stuff that is difficult to find these days. Other recipes explain methods of cooking light food with an accelerated sense of taste. With this book you can serve an authentic Louisiana meal that you prepared without difficulty and fill your house with the distinctive odors of Creole and Cajun food. There is no equal!

Flavored with Love, Third Edition, contains over 300 recipes. There are 320 pages in the third edition with more than 60 new recipes not found in the previous versions. The recipes are in big easy-to-read print so it is possible to place the book on the counter and read it while cooking without smearing it with fingerprints. The book has a lay flat binding, which also helps the book stay open on the counter-top.

With its big 8½ x 11" pages and clever cover, it is pretty enough to place on the living room coffee table. Humorous and poignant stories mixed with the recipes are well loved by all who read them. The stories warm hearts while the food satisfies taste buds.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Baked Coon

Soon it's going to be too warm to cook this recipe. We're reaching the end of the "R" months.

Raccoons love city life. A country coon weighs as much as fifteen pounds, but a city coon can weigh as much as sixty pounds. Louisiana country coons are content with acorns, fresh fruit, vegetables, and crawfish. Urban coons prefer the higher calorie diet they find in garbage cans. Country coons sleep in the woods, but city coons reside in outbuildings and abandoned houses.

People try to turn raccoons into pets. Although they are cute, I don't recommend them as pets. Their claws are dangerous. If people feed them pet food such as cat food, the raccoons develop gout, which can be painful for the little fellows.

They are not as clean as we have thought. They don't really wash their food; instead they like to play with it in the water when they can. Furthermore, some of them have rabies, leptospirosis, listeriosis, tetanus, or tularemia. Coon eaters, beware.

In earlier days, raccoons were considered a delicacy. They were popular food items, especially at Christmas in the United States. People in all social circles loved them. Today they remain a well-loved source of food. I know families who enjoy eating raccoons for Christmas dinner. They tell me it tastes scrumptious.
Here is a great recipe for baking a raccoon.

Terry Chrisman shared her mother’s recipe for baked raccoon with me. Since I can’t find any raccoons, I have not tried this recipe. Although it is my policy to try recipes whenever possible—my freezer door is propped closed because of all the food I’ve cooked and stored—I will make an exception in this case. Terry is a distinguished cook, and I trust her. She called her mother to verify the recipe. Because you may find a raccoon you need to cook, I’ll share the recipe with you.

It was one of the first entries at this blog, which now has 370 entries. Also the readers of the Bernice Banner (Louisiana) told me they enjoyed it when I shared it there as a suggestion for Christmas dinner.

Baked Coon by Ann Webb

Dress the coon.
Remove all the glands, especially from under the arms.
Quarter it.
Cover it with pepper sauce.
Lay thick slices of peeled sweet potatoes around the edges.
Pour a little bit of water in the pan.
Sprinkle a cup of dark brown sugar over the sweet potatoes and coon.
Cover the pan.
Bake at 350 degrees until tender.

Terry told me that her mother cooks coon two or three times a year only in cold weather. Her father kills them when he goes squirrel hunting. She said, “He’s supposed to be squirrel hunting, but if he sees a coon, he kills it.”
Baked coon would be a gourmet meal with collards and cornbread on the side.

Flavored with Love: Mary Lou's Family and Friends Can Cook

Aunt Etta's Turnip Greens

The little memoir of Uncle Dan's concern over eating turnip greens is a true story. It appears in Flavored with Love: Mary Lou's Family and Friends Can Cook

It also appeared in the Bernice Banner (Bernice, Louisiana).

Feeling queasy a few months after being married, Etta decided she needed medical help. Uncle Dan took her to the doctor, who informed the young couple that she was pregnant. “Don’t hurt yourself lifting heavy loads and working too hard on the farm,” the doctor cautioned. “Eat a balanced diet.”

As they were walking into the waiting area on their way out the clinic, Dan, exposing his ignorance of the subject, turned around and went back to talk with the doctor another time. “Doctor, I’ve got a question.”

“What is that?”

“Is it all right if I eat turnip greens?” he asked.

My family laughed about this for years.

Etta's Turnip Greens

1. Pick some nice tender greens from the patch down in the damp hollow. The best ones are grown in cold weather with a kiss of frost on them.
2. Wash them thoroughly to rid them of grit and sand. Don’t skimp on the washing.
3. Be sure to pull off the stems and ladybugs.
4. You may want to peel and slice a few turnip roots and toss them into the pot with the greens.
5. Fill a big pot with greens.
6. Cover them with water.
7. Throw in a lump of bacon grease the size of a large egg.
8. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Shake in a tiny bit of red pepper.
9. Add a spoonful of sugar–the size depending on how bitter the greens are.
10. Throw in a douse of pepper sauce, or if you don’t have any, use vinegar.
11. Cook the greens over low heat for hours to make sure they are tender.
12. Cut them before serving.

Notes

1 .It’s easier to cut the greens before cooking, but that procedure is unorthodox.
2. Serve the greens with plenty of thin fresh cornbread to sop up the pot liquor. Try cracklin’ bread.
3. A sprinkle of hot pepper sauce would taste good on greens.
4. A ham hock or a small block of side meat could be substituted for the bacon grease.
5. If you want to make a pot of heart-healthy food, try omitting the grease altogether and add low sodium beef bouillon with a few drops of liquid smoke.
6. Greens have been enjoyed with slices of fresh raw onions.
7. You may want to dip some sliced green tomatoes in flour and fry them in a small amount of fat in a skillet to serve with your greens.
8. Sliced ripe tomatoes would be good too.
9. Some people serve peppers–sliced bell peppers, sweet banana peppers, hot peppers–with greens.
10. Linda R., a Louisiana friend, cooks garlic in green leafy vegetables.
11. Frozen greens taste good if they are cooked carefully.
12. Diane, my sister-in-law, cuts cooked fresh greens with a pizza cutter.


FLAVORED WITH LOVE has more stories about Aunt Etta and Uncle Dan. THE COLLARD PATCH is an entire book about cooking greens, primarily collards, and the cornbread to go with them.

Monday, March 29, 2010

My Home Town -- Those Funny Names of Mississippi Places in Our Neck of the Woods

Join this Facebook group if your heart is in Taylorsville, Mississippi (Smith County)

We natives of Taylorsville (Smith County, Mississippi) have our pride about our town's name. Even though our town is small, we at least have a better name than some of the surrounding communities can claim.

To the east of the town of our origin is Soso. This name was given to that community 125 years ago by Jim Eaton, a Taylorsville post office worker, who thought the community was so so. Those dear people have kept the name and made the best of it. It has become distinctive. The Soso residents received a lemon of a name from a Taylorsvillian and made lemonade out of it.

To the southeast is Sullivan's Hollow, named after Wild Bill Sullivan. The legendary rowdy ways of that community have become internationally famous. We Taylorsvillians cannot help adding the sin of envy over their name to the pride we feel for our own name.

South of us is Hot Coffee, Mississippi. This community supposedly had an inn there that sold hot coffee. Most people have never heard of Taylorsville, but they know about Hot Coffee. Taylorsville is much more significant than Hot Coffee. It's too bad! We have such a respectable name but people don't know about us.

Part of the problem is that there's nothing very original or unique about the name of our town. We share the name with places in Utah, California, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, and Iowa. In fact, there are two towns named Taylorsville, Mississippi.

We pronounce the word by accenting the first syllable with no emphasis on the "ville." We are very boastful of the name.

Recently I read that it is believed that the original town of Taylorsville was called "Bullace" back in 1898 when a road from Jackson to Laurel was built. How humiliating to have had such an undignified beginning name!

Sources:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3291/i s_2_23/ai_n29132353/

http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?loc Index=285673

http://www.mize.town.ms.gov/history.html

http://www.mapquest.com/directions