Innholdsfortegnelse for Celebrate Summer 2009 i Southern Lady

Don’t you love the colors of summer? I especially like summer yellows and greens. And on the cover of this issue we feature some of my favorite desserts in those colors. The trend that I am seeing in many restaurants is the mini-dessert that is nothing more than a few bites of something scrumptious. The citrus treats on page 108 fit the bill. They are easy and quick to assemble, and they can be made ahead for summer entertaining. You have probably noticed the fun hat that I am wearing. It was designed by Polly Singer for me to wear to the Kentucky Derby last year. I don’t get to go to the Derby often, but when I do, I am mesmerized by the spectacular hats. They take my breath…

On June 14, we recognize the adoption of the American flag because of the resolution passed on that day in 1777 by the Second Continental Congress. Although Flag Day is not a federal holiday, many commemorate the occasion by hanging flags at their homes and businesses. Our grand old flag is a celebration of cake and frosting, waving and waiting for a hungry little patriot to come along. American Cupcake Flag Makes 24 cupcakes 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 1/3 cups sugar 6 large eggs, at room temperature 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest 3 cups all-purpose flour 3 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons milk 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice Preheat oven to 350°. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. In…

Menu Crab Cakes with Fried Green Tomatoes Marinated Grilled Shrimp Hot Crab Dip Bacon-Wrapped Scallops Baked Oysters Crab Cakes with Fried Green Tomatoes Makes 12 crab cakes 1 cup plain bread crumbs, divided 1 large egg, lightly beaten 3 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper 1 pound lump crabmeat 1/4 cup vegetable oil Fried Green Tomatoes (recipe follows) In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup bread crumbs, egg, mayonnaise, lemon juice, parsley, mustard, salt, black pepper, and red pepper. Gently fold in crabmeat. For each crab cake, form 1/3 cup crabmeat mixture into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. In a shallow dish, place remaining 1/2 cup bread crumbs. Coat…

Of the 35,000 thoroughbred racehorses born in the United States every year, only 20 make it to the Kentucky Derby—and just one champion will find his way to the Winner’s Circle, where owners and trainers will celebrate the “greatest two minutes in sports.” Beneath the twin spires of famed Churchill Downs, the crowd that has swelled to the size of a city stands suddenly at attention. The first strains of “My Old Kentucky Home,” played by the University of Louisville Marching Band, drift up the grandstand and across the infield. Soon, all who are gathered form a 150,000-voice choir as they sing the Stephen Foster tune that is the anthem for the day. The crowd waits with nervous anticipation, but not for long. The gate clangs open and the air…

When Betsey Lipscomb was planning her wedding to Paul Williams, she knew she wanted to incorporate an outdoor setting that was just as beautiful as where he proposed. “We were walking around campus,” says the Auburn University graduate, “and he had been telling me there was going to be a meteor shower. I didn’t pay any attention, and we ended up walking into a beautiful garden. He was standing behind me and held the ring out in front of me and then got down on one knee.” Plans were soon under way for a Memorial Day wedding, and Betsey thought of her family’s favorite vacation spot at the lake. Offering a picturesque woodland backdrop for the wedding ceremony, the area would provide a natural accent to her overall vision. When…

Lemon and Lime Icebox Parfaits Makes 6 to 8 servings 1 (16-ounce) purchased angel food cake 2 (10-ounce) jars Dickinson’s Lemon Curd 2 (10-ounce) jars Dickinson’s Lime Curd 1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed Garnish: lemon gumdrops Using a serrated knife, slice cake horizontally into thirds, trimming any browned edges from cake. Using round cutters, cut cake rounds to fit desired glass. Layer cake, curds, and whipped topping; repeat as desired. Place remaining whipped topping into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe a rosette onto each parfait. Garnish with lemon gumdrops, if desired. Note: You can make ahead and refrigerate. For variations of the parfaits consider: • using a white cake • adding coconut or nuts to the top • drizzling lemon liqueur over the cake (for…

Piña-Colada Pops Makes 8 to 12 servings 2 cups pineapple juice 2/3 cup cream of coconut (such as Coco Lopez®)* In a medium bowl, combine juice and cream of coconut, stirring well. Fill ice-pop molds with mixture. Freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight. To remove pops from molds, follow manufacturer’s instructions. *Look for cans of cream of coconut in the mixed-drink section of your local grocery store. These pops are nonalcoholic. Chocolate– Peanut Butter Pudding Pops Makes 8 to 12 servings 1 (3.9-ounce) package chocolatefudge instant pudding mix 21/2 cups milk 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter In a large bowl, whisk pudding mix and milk together until thickened. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat peanut butter in microwave on Medium (50 percent power) for 30 seconds, or until slightly…

Menu Basic Blue Cheese Dip • Chicken Wings Dad’s Favorite Sandwich Stir-and-Serve Sandwich Sauce No-Bake-Just-Shake Cracker Mix • Chips White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies Assorted Fruit • Peanut Butter Swirl Cake Keep it simple Instead of spending all day in the kitchen, make a quick trip to the grocery store where you can pick up Dad’s favorite deli sandwiches, chicken wings, drinks, and chips. With the hours saved, you’ll have more time to spend making memories with the ones you love. Basic Blue Cheese Dip Makes 2 cups 1 cup mayonnaise 1 cup sour cream 3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice Salt Pepper In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, blue cheese, and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate in a covered…

Lemon Custard Strawberry Pineapple-Coconut Vanilla Bean Banana Peach Lemon Custard Makes 4 to 6 quarts 2 quarts half-and-half 1 quart heavy whipping cream 12 egg yolks 4 cups sugar 1/4 cup lemon zest 1 cup fresh lemon juice In a heavy 3-quart saucepan, combine half-and-half and cream. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat when the first bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan. In a metal bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and lemon zest. Gradually pour the hot half-and-half mixture into the egg-yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the same saucepan; cook and stir over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until custard thickens. Do not let custard boil. Pour custard into another bowl to cool; stir in lemon…

Before you blow up the first balloon for your baby’s party, ask yourself five simple questions: Who? First, consider who and how many guests to invite, particularly young children. A standard rule of thumb is to invite one child for each year of the birthday child’s age. However, you may choose to invite members of your child’s play group, which means you’ll also need to include their parents. On the other hand, you may wish to invite only close friends and relatives to share the special day. Keep in mind that either choice will affect other party factors, such as venue, activities, and refreshments. What? To theme or not to theme is the question that has haunted more than one party planner, particularly when the guest of honor is perhaps…

Looking for more pop for your party place setting? Add color and detail with folded napkins and napkin rings. Think of them as jewelry for your table, to accessorize even the simplest napkin. Just like your favorite baubles, napkin rings vary from formal and classic to colorful and fun. You can even create your own using found objects as different as ponytail holders from the variety store to metal rings from the hardware store. Just choose a design that suits the mood of your table. Fleur-de-lis To create this classic fleur-de-lis design, begin with a heavier-weave napkin, or use one that has been starched. 1. With the napkin lying flat, fold it in half diagonally to form a triangle. Place the folded edge at the bottom. 2. Place the bottom…

On the Grill Grilled Chicken • Apple Jelly Grilled Pork Chops Shrimp Kabobs • Planked Salmon Ron’s Special White Sauce Makes about 2 cups 1 (1-ounce) package dry ranch salad dressing mix 11/4 cups milk 3/4 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons white vinegar 2 teaspoons ground black pepper In a bowl, combine dressing mix, milk, mayonnaise, vinegar, and pepper. Stir well. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Serve with Grilled Chicken. Grilled Chicken Makes 4 to 6 servings 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup water 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder 1/2 tablespoon onion powder 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts In a shallow dish, combine soy sauce, water, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir well. Add chicken, and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Let chicken reach room temperature before grilling. Preheat…

Menu All-Decked-Out Barbecue Burgers Fried Red Onion Strips Blackberry Lemon Tea Marinated Grilled Vegetable Kabobs Olive Vinaigrette Herb-Roasted Red, White, and Blue Potatoes Red, White, and Blue Star Tarts Flag-Waving Cookies All-Decked-Out Barbecue Burgers Makes 4 burgers 3/4 cup ketchup 1/4 cup light molasses 1/4 cup honey 2 tablespoons liquid smoke 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 11/2 pounds ground sirloin 4 slices chipotle cheddar cheese 4 hamburger buns 1 recipe Fried Red Onion Strips (recipe follows) Preheat grill to medium-high heat (350° to 400°). In a large bowl, combine ketchup, molasses, honey, liquid smoke, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine. Add ground sirloin, and mix until meat has absorbed all the liquid. Divide meat into 4 patties, and refrigerate until 5 minutes before grilling. (Do not prepare…

Summer means several things. Hot, sunny days that stretch from dawn’s first light on into firefly-filled evenings. Barefoot children playing tag and dashing through sprinklers. Bountiful gardens bearing the freshest, most delicious crops—especially that oh-so-juicy watermelon. Watermelon Festivals Watermelon Festivals occur across the country all summer long. Check out the list to see if one is happening near you. Or visit the National Watermelon Promotion Board Web site at watermelon.org/watermelon_festivals.asp for more listings and information about this summer favorite. JUNE 2009 June 20, The Life is Good® Watermelon Festival Boston Commons, MA June 20–28, 67th Annual Hampton County Watermelon Festival Hampton, SC June 25–28, 56th Annual Luling Watermelon Thump Luling, TX June 26–27, 53nd Annual Panhandle Watermelon Festival Chipley, FL JULY 2009 July 11, Slice of Chico Chico, CA July…

Menu Cranberry Coleslaw Cranberry-Pineapple Congealed Salad Green Bean Salad Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Barbecue Baked Beans Corn Casserole Chicken Ranch Wrap Pineapple Club Sandwich Chicken and Asparagus Pasta Bake Hearty Sheperd’s Pie Mini Lemony Carrot Cakes Peanut Butter–Granola Chewies Blackberry Cobbler Cranberry Coleslaw Makes approximately 6 cups 1/3 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 (16-ounce) package coleslaw mix 1 (6-ounce) package dried cranberries 1/4 cup sunflower-seed kernels In a 2-quart bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add slaw mix, tossing gently to coat. Refrigerate until serving time. Before serving, stir in cranberries and sunflower kernels. Cranberry-Pineapple Congealed Salad Makes 12 servings 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained, juice reserved 1 (16-ounce) can whole-berry cranberry sauce…

With several patriotic holidays during the summer, it’s a great time to choose an all-American theme for your table. Tie star-spangled napkins with simple daisies and raffia, and add bold dinnerware in shades of red, white, and blue. For a gift-giving occasion, wrap presents in cobalt blue paper and top them off with summer’s favorite flower—the sunflower. Fill bowls with slices of delicious watermelon and fresh strawberries for edible centerpieces. Then add a bucket of sunflowers for festive flair to complete the setting.…

Almost 30 years ago, I started my floral business in a small boutique with a modest Pepsi cooler for my flowers. I outgrew the space within a month and found myself moving into my own shop. Today we have a 6,000 square foot location in the Birmingham area from which we are more than pleased to share our “traditional with an edge” style. While I have been drawn to and surrounded by flowers my whole life, I actually started my professional career in the criminology field. Whether I was teaching classes at the University of Alabama at Birmingham or working on an advanced degree, I was always arranging flowers on the side, either for friends or for my own enjoyment. There is a shared joy in giving flowers to friends…