Thanksgiving Friendship Gifts

The taste of the season...Sweet Potato Muffins!

These muffins are topped with a crunchy sugar topping and are scrumptious served at breakfast with coffee and heavenly served for supper with ham and green beans.  Add chopped pecans, walnuts, or raisins if you choose.  They are perfect anytime of the day.

The Sweet Potato Muffins are always a hit whenever I serve them and are the most popular food product that I offer!

I always try to have "Friendship Gifts" on hand to give to those people who visit my home or to take as small hostess gift.  I was trying to come up with something easy since right now I am visiting my Mama in Georgia.  I wanted something that I could take to her neighbors who are all so good to her and to have on hand for friends who might drop by.

A couple of years ago, I baked the muffins in mini-muffin pans and used these cute Thanksgiving-theme treat bags I found at Hobby Lobby.

  I thought I was over the chevron design fad but last week I found these cute bags at Hobby Lobby with the turkey-motif toppers and the presentation was appreciated by recipients!

Each box of Sweet Potato Muffins makes 12 muffins or 48 mini muffins and cost only $7.95/box.  Click here to order.

A wrapped muffin mix makes a great hostess gift...

You can visit my Taste of Gourmet site here to find these and more gourmet food products to stock your entertaining pantry.

How's Ya Mamma and 'Em?

Paula Deen has recently opened a new restaurant and gift shop inside the Harrah's Casino in nearby Robinsonville, Mississippi. All her "Paula Deen Products" are available for sale as well as a wide array of other gifts. The restaurant was modeled on her home in Savannah, Georgia, from the shutters on the windows to the wide front porch with the wicker chairs. Inside, there are six dining areas--"Paula's Parlour," "The Pantry," "The Famous Bird Cage Room," "The Porch," "The Mud Room," and "The Morning Room." There six food stations inside the restaurant. The first station is "Granny Paul's Garden," a fresh salad and raw vegetable selection--not too many Southerners stopping there. The second station is "Uncle Bubba's Oyster House," full of scrumptious seafood. The third station is "The Lady and Son's" with all of Paula's favorite Southern foods. The fourth is the "Hoecake and Biscuit Station"--very good stuff y'all. The fifth is "Captain Michael's Smokehouse"--lots of meat, chicken, and pork dishes prepared with Paula's rubs. Finally, there's "Little Jack's Corner," named for her grandson Jack and loaded with any type of tempting Southern dessert you could possibly want. The restaurant uses china designed especially for Paula by Gail Pittman--very cute and a nice touch! Miss Paula suggest that you wear your "stretchy pants" when coming to her restaurant and I'm glad I listened. The visit was Very Southern...Very Memorable.

Here's Miss Paula's restaurant

Miss Paula and me

After about ten visits later, I guess you could say that I'm a regular. As I was enjoying the Southern delacacies during my last visit, I had to ask myself why I was so attracted to this restaurant. Then I realized that it's because this is the food that we Southerners grew up on a "Mama and 'Em's". It's the food we don't prepare for ourselves because we don't have the time or talent. Now this food is not for your uppity crowd--there's cabbage cooked in bacon grease, turnip greens in fat back, corn that is creamed and sauteed in butter...just that good 'ole food Southerners enjoy. Another thing I noticed is that everybody is all about "Thank You, Excuse Me, and You're Welcome" in that place. You just have to be Southerner to "get it."


The whole experience reminded me of these new t-shirts that are being sold all over the South--"How's Ya Mama and "Em?" The artist, Rhonda Rayborn, designs these darling t-shirts featuring the saying "How's Ya Mama and 'Em?", which is a really a southern way of asking about your Mama and the rest of your family. When I spoke with Ms. Rayborn, I couldn't believe that she lives four or five houses down the street from another well-known artist, my cousin--J. Kim Sessums, M.D. There's a whole lot of talent on that beautiful street in the small town of Brookhaven, Mississippi.



"How's Ya Mama and 'Em?" is the registered trademark and brainchild of Ms. Rayborn. Growing up in the antebellum town of Natchez, Mississippi, Rhonda's grandmothers taught her how to be a southern lady. She said that "Weekends spent with her grandmothers were like attending a southern hospitality university, and that whenever she was afraid of some bully-girls on the school bus, her grandmothers would say, "They're just like you, only you're prettier!"




All of her charming t-shirts are based on sayings that are native to the South; i. e., "Do you believe in love at first sight, or do I need to walk back by?" (Oh my Lord, if I weren't married, I would buy that one in every color)! and "Mess with this Mississippi girl...you'll be messin' with the whole trailer park"! The one I chose was "Hey y'all, how's ya mama and 'em?"


You can purchase these cute t-shirts online at Rhonda Rayborn's website, or call her at 601.757.7388.

Front of the t-shirt

Back of the t-shirt

Since Paula Deen, the Queen of Southern Cuisine, now has her own tableware, I decided to create a very casual tablescape, featuring her china and linens in the Dot Crazy pattern. The menu consists of comfort foods just like you would typically have at "Mama and 'Em's" house. These are the foods that my mama always fixed for Sunday Dinner (the Southern term for lunch--held right after you get home from church on Sunday morning) when I was growing up. She still fixes the same food for me when I go home to visit. Notice that there's no fancy centerpiece here--just the salt and pepper shakers and the food on the table, served very Southern--family style.

Menu

Fried Pork Chops

Turnip Greens

Butter Beans

Fried Okra

Tomatoes and Cucumbers

Southern Biscuits

Sweet Southern Iced Tea

Sunday Dinner at "Mama and 'Em's", featuring Paula Deen's tableware--"Dot Crazy" salad plate, placemat, and napkin. The dinner plate is by Daniel Cremieux--"St. Remy Brown."

Just the food please, served family-style

If you are ever in the Memphis area, be sure to try Miss Paula's restaurant. It will be sure to make your trip Southern...and Memorable. Thank you for stopping by today. Tomorrow I am participating in Trim-A-Tree Thursday, which will be hosted by The Southern Hostess. I'm not sure what I'll be showing, but I'll come up with something.

Dining in the Country & Dining at The Fresh Market

Saturday was a fun day! My friend Kara and I hit the road early to attend a Holiday Open House at Rosebriar Dining, in Eads, Tennessee. Then, on the way back home we stopped at the Fresh Market in Memphis--my second favorite grocers, running close behind Trader Joes! Fresh Market was having their annual holiday meal tasting. Finally, we made one last stop at the Home Decor store in Southaven and picked up an item to help wardrobe a holiday tablescape-in-planning. There was a lot of good food, a little gossiping, and of course, shopping.

Debbie Sisk, owner, Rosebriar Dining

I would like to introduce to y'all a friend of mine. Her name is Debbie Sisk and she's the owner of Rosebriar Dining, in Eads, Tennessee (just outside of Memphis). I first met Debbie through a friend who called me and said "Would you like to go to lunch out in Eads with a group of ladies?" I asked "Where is Eads and what restaurant are we going to?" It was then she told me about Debbie...She caters afternoon teas, luncheons, and dinner parties in her home. Hmmmmmm, I thought, why not? After that first visit, I was hooked. I told everyone I knew about this Debbie Sisk lady. She cooks the most fabulous gourmet meals and serves guests at her dining table, which comfortably seats about 16 people. The recipes consist of fresh ingredients and are served using her finest dinnerware. Debbie and I were a perfect match and partnered together to present Tea and Dining Etiquette programs in her home during the past year.
Debbie is the epitome of a Southern lady; she loves her family and home and she loves to entertain and shop. She has been serving guests in her home for over 14 years and does no advertising--just word of mouth from one Southern Lady to another. Yesterday she held her annual Holiday Open House--clothing, holiday gifts, jewelry, tea, and foods were all elegantly displayed throughout her home. Over 300 ladies attended the event and enjoyed tasting soups, dips, cakes and a hot beverage of apple cider with red hots--they also shopped like Southern recessionistas.
I almost screamed when I saw these cute wellies. I knew I had to have them! Thank goodness she had my size, 'cuz I love them. If you would like to get a pair (they are $39.95), Debbie will be glad to send them to you. Her contact information will be listed later in this post.

I had to fight for these cute little containers...and a holiday tablescape was born when I saw them! Stay tuned for that in December.

First, I will show some photos of Debbie's house taken during the past summer, then I will show the photos from yesterday's event.

Rosebriar...Dining in the Country

What a lovely setting for an afternoon tea, luncheon, or dinner party

The side board, on a normal day...

The next three photos are of the parlor...a proper spot for a "Low Tea"

The parlor The parlor--a perfect place to serve a "Low Tea"

Rosebriar...Holiday Open House

Let's shop...she'll take cash, credit, or check!

Parlor mantle vignette--right side Parlor mantle vignette--Left side
Vintage tree in parlor

Family room mantel

Dining sideboard--left side Dining sideboard--right side
Master bedroom
Bedside table vignette
Master bedroom chandelier
Vintage tree in master bedroom

Powder room

An additional bathroom

I hope you had fun meeting Debbie and visiting her beautiful home. If you are ever in the Memphis area, call Debbie and make a reservation. You can visit her online at http://rosebriardining.com/.

So, we headed back to DeSoto County and stopped off at The Fresh Market for some groceries. They were holding their annual Holiday Meal Tasting...more food--okay, no problem.

The servers at The Fresh Market Roasted turkey with gravy, dressing, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn souffle, and sweet potatoe casserole--it was excellent!

When we were almost home, we stopped at the Home Decor Store in Southaven, Mississippi and I picked up another item for that holiday tablescape-in-planning I mentioned earlier in the post.


With all that party food, shopping, and gossiping, the day was over. But it was perfect!

I am so glad you stopped by today; I'm off now to enjoy some warm pumpkin scones and hot tea with my friend Kara.

Church Ladies Tablescape Event

Last night I attended a holiday dinner at Trinity Baptist Church in Southaven, Mississippi. My friend Kara is a member there and invited me because she knows how much I love tablescaping and all the dining tables were to be decorated by the ladies of the church. There must have been about 32 tables all decked out for the season. After we oohed and aahed over them, we were seated and enjoyed a wonderful meal of salad, chicken cordon bleu, garlic green beans, scalloped potatoes, and rolls--served graciously by the men of the church! The guest speaker was Catherine Hickem. She has a ministry called Intentional Moms and has written a book called Raising Children with No Regrets. The book has gotten rave reviews, so if you have children, check out her website.

Being the gracious guest that I always aspire to be, I prepared a gift for Kara, since she invited me to the dinner. Kara loves to bake and I know she likes Paula Deen, so I prepared a cookie mix in a jar. I found the idea and recipe in the Paula Deen Holiday Baking magazine from Christmas 2007.

Cranberry Coconut Oatmeal Cookie Mix

The layers consist of the following:

1/2 cup sugar

2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1/2 cup chopped pecans

In a 1-quart glass jar, layer ingredients in order listed, pressing each layer down firmly before adding the next ingredient.

Be sure to attach the baking recipe:

1 (1-quart) jar Cranberry Coconut Oatmeal Cookie Mix

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine cookie mix, butter, egg, and vanilla, stirring until combined. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place dough 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool on pans for 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight containers. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

All the attendees were asked to bring an ornament to be placed on the church tree. I decided on a snowman-themed ornament and here's my gift package ready to go:

Snowman ornament with a peppermint theme gift package

Would you like to see the those tablescapes now?

Autumn tablescape--centerpiece

Autumn tablescape--place setting

Pink & black tablescape--centerpiece

Pink & black tablescape--place setting

Snowman tablescape--centerpiece

Snowman tablescape--place setting

Lime green, blue, and black tablescape--centerpiece

Lime green, blue, and black tablescape--place setting


Silver and black tablescape--centerpiece
Silver and black tablescape--place setting

Silver tablescape--centerpiece

Silver tablescape--place setting

Beaded reindeer tablescape--centerpiece

Beaded reindeer tablescape--place setting

Beaded reindeer tablescape--chair decoration

There were so many more, but I chose to feature just a few of the ones in each color or theme. I hope you found some ideas here that you want to use during the holiday season.
Charm School Saturday was canceled today by Rose Vignettes--maybe next Saturday?
Drop by tomorrow, I will be posting photos of an event I attended today at the home of my friend Debbie Sisk in Eads, Tennessee. Debbie is the owner of Rosebriar Dining and she and I have partnered together several times to present tea and dining etiquette programs. She held her annual holiday open house today and I got lots of pictures for y'all! Thank you for dropping by.