Yankee-Belle Cafe: friends

Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts

Friday, May 22, 2015

Special Birthday Parties

Missy Tippens, here. I had the joy of celebrating a special birthday last week with my friend Talitha. If you've read my book Georgia Sweethearts, then you've read about a character I named after my friend--my heroine's dear great aunt named Talitha. :)

Here is my character's namesake.

And she just celebrated her 97th birthday!

Her family threw her a wonderful party at the nursing home. I'm sure Talitha is a fabulous addition to the residents, blessing them with her smiles and thoughtful ways. Even as she packed her home to move into the nursing home last year, she was still volunteering with hospice and at church. She's an amazing, giving woman.

Here's what's left of the cake. I didn't think to take photos until later in the party.

I had to get a photo with the birthday girl!

A wonderful celebration of an amazing woman.

Do you have someone in your life like Talitha, someone who is generous and always doing for others?

Friday, January 30, 2015

Wonderful, Wacky Friends

Missy Tippens, here. I've got several things I've cooked lately (I know, don't keel over from shock!). But instead of having to dig up the photos and locate the recipe (and figure out how I changed it because I didn't have ingredients on hand <g>), I'm going to share something non-food related this week.

FIRST!! I'm so excited to share a brand new cover for my next Love Inspired book coming in May--The Doctor's Second Chance (and available for pre-order now!).

Here's the back cover blurb:

The Bachelor's Baby…

Jake West's troubled cousin leaves him with a most unusual parting gift—her newborn baby girl! And now the small-town contractor is forced to seek help from the very woman he resents—the new big-city pediatrician who practically stole his uncle's practice, Violet Crenshaw. Violet knows she shouldn't be consorting with the enemy. But she can't resist the adorable baby and her handsome new caretaker. Violet traded her chance at motherhood for her career years ago. But raising a family with Jake could be everything she's ever wanted.

Also, I wanted to share this cute card I saw in the store at Cracker Barrel the other day. I loved it and took a photo. Ten Rules for Wonderful Wacky Women. If needed, click on it to enlarge...

INSIDE OF CARD:

And the number 1 rule every wonderful wacky woman knows.....

Anyone who says she doesn't need a girlfriend,

Just hasn't found a good one yet.

(I don't have that problem... I have you!)

--Suzy Toronto

Very cute, huh? I wanted to give credit, so I snapped a photo of the back as well. The card is from Blue Mountain Arts.

And I found the artist, Suzy Toronto's website: http://suzytoronto.com

So tell me your favorite number on the list. Share a way that you're wonderful wacky woman (or man)!

As for me, I have to say I love #4. But Ruthy will throw her Yankee version of a hissie fit if I do! And according to #5, that could prove very powerful. :) So I'm going to claim #2 as my favorite. It goes along with my One Word for the year.

Saturday, January 3, 2015

shhhhhh This recipe is a secret! And blessings jar tradition.

Hi, everybody! I first posted this recipe in October 2012 and now it's time for a repost and an update!

Here we go:
A few years ago I went to a reception and there were these brownies that defied description. But I'll try... They were chocolate chunk, with some kind of cream cheese inside, and dark chocolate layer half way through. Within minutes, we were all asking each other "who brought those brownies"????

(These are not the brownies.)

We were in for a terrible shock. The woman who had brought the brownies, couldn't give us the recipe... because her son was a dessert chef visiting from LA and she had begged him to make her some. He was bound by contract not to sell the brownies, or to share the recipe. NO KIDDING!

Now, I have a friend who also defies description. (Ha!) She recently moved to Montana, so by the time she reads this, I'll be safe. Or at least be getting a head start. I think she said it took her 14 hours to drive back here. Time for me to get a good lock on the door.

Because I'm about to share the SECRET RECIPE for her German apple cake. This is a revenge post. She used to torment me with the cake, and then say she couldn't give me the deets because her German Baptist relatives would put out a hit on her.

But one day- one glorious day- I got THIS in my Christmas card. Now, I know it's right out of a magazine, but you can't see are the tiny comments written in there. This is where the gold is for the beginner baker. Like getting that old textbook with all the shortcuts written in the margins!

Edna is always up for a daring adventure so we got out our ingredients. (Of course, if my friend brings the goon squad, I'm not really sure I can run with Edna. But I'll put her in the Red Flyer wagon. That would work...)

So, 3 eggs
       2 cups sugar
        1 cup oil (here there's a little note that says 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup butter melted)
        1 tsp vanilla extract ( maple!)

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda (3/4 tsp says the note)
1/2 tsp salt
4 cups chopped tart apple (note says two large, which was about 3 cups)
and 3/4 cup pecans (note says one cup)

And cream cheese frosting, which we didn't put on. not because it wasn't good, but because we didn't really need it. It was perfect!!

Edna did really well with the whole butter/oil/ egg mess. Ew. She's a toughie.

(BEFORE WE GO ON, LET ME JUST HUG BLOGGER FOR A SECOND. I PRESSED THE WRONG BUTTON AND EVERYTHING WAS GONE... BUT NOT! IT WAS SAVED! WHEEEEE! BACK TO OUR POST...)

Mmmmm, we get apples by the box right from the packing shed. $10 for an assorted box. Gala, Granny Smith, Red Delicious, Golden, and Fuji. If you can stand the sight of semis and forklifts and skid steers roaring past you, it's a great way to save money. And since I have four little boys, it's more like a field trip than grocery shopping.

Folding in the 3/4 cups pecans and the apples. The batter is very thick. Fewer apples and more nuts make it a very dense batter.

Mmmmmmm. 350 for 55 minutes and you get this! Perfection!

While it cooked, Edna was reminiscing all about her fling with a Canadian Mountie. I think it was the maple extract that got her going. It was a wonderful story, full of rugged men and horses and wooden crates full of straw (surprisngly comfy, says she). But then he was gone so much, she felt neglected. Just left spinning her beaters for days on end. It was time to move on.

So, I'm setting the table for guests because I know how the internet works. As soon as the news gets out that Edna and I have spilled the famous apple cake recipe, there will be a knock at the door.

Look at that! Who could resist? We'll get them loaded up on tea and cake and make a break for the back door. If you see a middle aged woman chugging down the sidewalk with a gleaming Sunshine Mixmaster in a battered Red Flyer wagon, for heaven's sake, stop and give me a ride. And if you're really nice, I just might tell you the other recipe I've been SWORN not to reveal.

Until next time... I hope.

UPDATE: Well, it's been two years and my friend has not yet carried through on her threat so I thought I'd push my luck... and post this again! Plus, she's in town visiting, so I'll be sure to accidentally open this post while she's over for coffee. (Kidding! I'm not that brave.)

A tradition we have in my family is our "blessings jar". We decorate the jar with the year, and then put it on a shelf in plain sight. Through the year, we write wonderful things that have happened and put them in the jar. They can be as big as a new baby, or new book, or as small (but equally important) as losing a first tooth, potty training, or learning to write a name for the first time. On New Year's Eve, we open the jar and read them all aloud. It's amazing the beautiful blessings that have happened... and that we sometimes forget.

(Oh, funny! I just realized after posting this picture... the same friend of the secret recipe cake appears in this picture. Well, her Christmas 2014 gift, does. The babushka nesting dolls to the left are actually measuring cups. Isn't that a clever idea? )

Hoping everyone had a wonderful end of the year! I'm loving all the visits from friends near and far, and being able to hug relatives that have not been in the area for years. It's a blessed time and I pray everyone is enjoying the beginning of 2015!

Friday, February 14, 2014

A Romantic Dinner for Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day from The Belle! I have a wonderful menu to share with you that I think would make a great Valentine's dinner to share with a special someone.

Photo credit: Bigstock/Awindle

Back in January, while planning to go to Kentucky for my aunt's funeral, one of my good church friends, Evelyn Hix, said she wanted to bring me a birthday cake. When she realized the funeral was on my birthday, and that I would be traveling home a couple of days later, she offered to bring dinner along with the cake.

Yes, she's a generous, wonderful friend!

So that evening after I got home wiped out from driving 6 hours, my husband showed up from work with this really cool (or hot!) serving thingy. I don't even know what to call it. Evelyn said she's had it forever.

I think maybe it's from the same generation as Edna. Maybe they were friends! The layers of metal tins stack on top of each other and then slip inside the red, white and blue thermal case, keeping everything piping hot.

Now, just to give warning. I didn't think of taking photos until after some of us had served ourselves. So some of the tins look pretty empty! :)

First layer…yummy yeast rolls.

Next…glazed, buttered carrots.

Next, the piece de resistance! (I'll be sharing the recipe!)…fancy green bean bundles. I can't begin to explain how good these were. Thus, the tin is almost empty!

Next…creamy mashed potatoes.

And in the bottom of the stack...Evelyn's famous chicken fingers. (I shared this recipe before, click here.)

It was a delicious dinner and fancy enough to have for Valentine's Day. So here is the wonderful green bean recipe. One of my other friends said she has done something similar. But rather than making the fancy bundles, she just dumped the beans in the casserole dish and mixed it up, then sprinkled crumbled bacon on top.

Evelyn's Green Bean Bundles

Note: Make this a day ahead of time so it can marinate overnight.

1-1/2 pounds fresh green beans OR 3 15-ounce cans of beans
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
Dash soy sauce
Garlic powder (optional)
Bacon

If using fresh beans, cook in salted boiling water for 10-15 minutes and then drain.

Gather 8-10 green beans in a bundle and wrap with a bacon slice. Secure with a toothpick. Put bundles in a baking dish.

Mix together the melted butter, brown sugar and soy sauce. Pour over the bean bundles. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

These are AMAZING. I think I could eat the whole recipe myself.

Oh! I almost forgot to share a photo of a slice of my birthday cake! Yellow cake with coconut between the layers, and chocolate icing. Thank you Evelyn!

I hope you all have a HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! Here's my Valentine to you, filled with love.

Photo credit: Crestock/Odina222

So what are y'all doing to celebrate?

Saturday, October 26, 2013

State Fair Fun

I went to the NC State fair this week for the first time in a long time. A friend suggested we go together because our spouses, wonderful as they are in other ways, don't like going.


Farmer Julie and her Piggy friend, Diane. Yes, Diane deserves a blue ribbon.

As someone with allergies, the fair can be hit or miss. The aromas are calorie free but tempting. I focus on the displays first, the food second. But I was greeted by this as soon as I went through the gate:


Sigh. It smells so good and EVERYONE had an ear. But me.

We visited the produce section:


The winning pumpkin weighed in at 800 pounds this year.

The quilts and other crafts:

The home canning:

The cake decorating contest:

It was time for lunch so we headed to the Westover UMC Fair booth. One of my friends is pastor there but they also have the best chilidogs at the fair. At least if you only eat one every five years. And as someone whose final exams in food microbiology consisted of diagnosing real cases of food poisoning at the State Fair, I make a point of eating at a church booth. I've worked em and know how clean they are!

I've also worked at the NC State Ice Cream booth. Nothing has changed in the three decades since I was dishing out cherry vanilla and chocolate mint for the food science club. Students still give you an awful lot of ice cream for the price. The milk comes from NC cows. And cherry vanilla is still my favorite. And no high fructose corn syrup.

What has changed is turkey legs have taken over from italian sausage and onions in popularity.

My daughter and her boyfriend were brave enough to eat those monster turkey legs...and deep fried HoHos.

And my grandchildren are now going to the fair with my son and DIL.

They were so happy.

And learning about the cycles of life and the precarious nature of fair fish.

Good thing the parents told them fair fish only live 24 hours!

That's worse than a case of fair food poisoning! My poor babies. No more fair fish for them.

Except for the fish incident, it was a beautiful day to check out the farm animals, make a few carnies mad by taking their pictures, and appreciate all our state has to offer in terms of agriculture and talent.

So what about your fair experiences? Do you have a food item you MUST have? Or a display to check out? Do you ride the rides or play the midway? Best or worst experience?

PS: Some of you may have seen the news story about the people tragically hurt at our fair on Thursday. Please be in prayer for the families of those affected.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Friend-ly Reunions

This has been the summer of “friend-ly reunions” for me. I’ve had the joy of visiting with people who make a big difference in my life’s journey. Some for the first time in person and some for the first time in a while.

Having a sister is like having a best friend you can never get rid of. You know whatever you do, they'll still be there. -Amy Li


This picture evokes too many captions to mention. It was tough for me going from an only to the oldest!

They called us the Easter Eggs because we had different hair color even before hair dye came into the picture.

My sister Ann is visiting this weekend. We are having a blast but missing our little sister Mary. Sniff. If I don't comment quickly enough, it is because we are out having too much fun antiquing.

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! You too? I thought I was the only one. ― C.S. Lewis


Piper and I met at last year's Moonlight and Magnolias but cemented our bond over Royal Baby news.

Mary and I have been writing buddies for a while now but roomed together at RWA. And we didn't kill each other!

Speaking of sisters, I just got back from RWA in Atlanta where I was united with writing pals, Piper Huguley and Mary Curry. I keep saying they are sisters of the heart but they also are encouragers of the first order.

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. - Albert Schweitzer

My friend Renee and her husband Tommy. Why yes, they ARE dressed like Rhett and Scarlett!

Another great thing about going to Atlanta was seeing my friend from divinity school days, Renee, and her husband. They recently moved back to the East Coast from California. Encouragement is also a theme of our relationship through all our various adventures in ministry.

“It was only high school after all, definitely one of the most bizarre periods in a person’s life. How anyone can come through that time well adjusted on any level is an absolute miracle.” ― E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly

Back in the day, we rocked Gunne Sax. I am in the middle seated. Donna is at the end kneeling.

Earlier this summer, my friend Donna traveled all the way to Outer Banks from California to be with her East Coast family. Then she drove eight hours round trip to see the infamous screened porch project and me. Now that is a good friend. I think we started talking the moment she arrived and kept at it until she departed. We talked surviving high school, our faith journey and more. Just picked up where we left off.

Like fine cheeses, we have aged pretty well. Donna better than me!

I fixed something quick and easy for our visit, not wanting to waste time cooking when I could spend the time visiting. It is tomato season here and I decided a caprese salad would be the ticket. My variation involved miniaturizing the ingredients. Everyone knows anything is cuter when it is tiny. I added fresh bread and brownies from the local bakery and voila. Lunch!

This was the perfect lunch for sustaining hours of talking!

Marinated Caprese Salad

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes

1 container mini mozzarella balls

1 package romaine lettuce, torn up

1 bunch asparagus

1/3 cup olive oil

2 T balsamic vinegar

1 T Italian spices or dry Italian dressing blend

Shaved parmesan cheese

Mix the oil, vinegar and spices. Pour in a bowl. Add tomatoes and mozzarella balls. Stir, cover and refrigerate at least one hour.

Toss asparagus in a tablespoon of olive oil and a dash of salt. Roast for 20 minutes at 350.

Arrange romaine lettuce on a plate. Place still warm asparagus spears across lettuce. Top with tomatoes and mozzarella. Shave parmesan over salad. Serves 3-4.

I've learned over time it is better to have an easy meal when you know you're going to be yacking. Small bites, carbs to keep you going, and plenty of water to drink so your mouth doesn't get dry.

So, what about you? Have you had friendly or family reunions this summer? Is there one reunion you wish you could set up?