Funerals in My South

This week I attended a funeral. Like the wanna-be cultural anthropologist that I have always been, I couldn’t help but wonder what future generations would think of us if they were able to witness our most intimate and personal moments of grief. You can learn so much about a people by their traditions, especially the ones they practice at the end of a life.

The south is a wide and varied place. My experiences of it may be completely different from yours, yet we are both correct when we consider the region our own. Funerals are a big deal in the south. Not just by the way you celebrate the life of the person who has passed, but also in how you circle up to surround the living who are left behind.

In my south, funerals are visitations at the funeral home, complete with bowls of mints and boxes of Kroger brand facial tissues on every surface. Hunter green wall-to-wall carpet, and brass fixtures. It’s people who stop by the funeral home after they get off work, for visitation. Some go home and change clothes, but others still come just as they are, in their work shirts, with their name on the chest. They arrive and sign the guest book, while waiting to pay their respects to the grieving sons and daughters, spouses (if any), grandchildren and whoever else is left.

It’s little old ladies, nosy and wanting a peek at the body “to see if he looked ‘real good’” or not, disappointed when it’s a closed casket. It’s neighbors who are not at all neighborly, who come out of the woodwork to see if they can get first dibs on the old home place, when it inevitably goes up for sale.

It’s photo slideshows, looking back to happier times, images of childhood, glory days in the service, milestones, celebrations, and snapshots taken for no reason at all. It’s people who knew you when you were just a little thing, who haven’t seen you in a coon’s age, who wouldn’t have known you from Adam, except wasn’t your grandpa that Whittaker man who used to preach over at Scott Street? And you’re Glen’s girl? Oh right, his granddaughter.

It’s I sure am glad I ran into you, but I hate that it was under these circumstances. It’s people you never see except at weddings and funerals.

And funerals themselves are held at little country churches, that don’t come up on Google when you’re trying to get directions. Churches with double glass front doors that open right into the sanctuary, where there’s light brown paneling half-way up the walls, and pinkish-purple carpet. And an old fashioned water fountain, a rectangle of smudged chrome, with a shiny faucet and a hard metal button that hurts your finger to press. The stream of water barely comes up an inch, and you have to smoosh your mouth down onto it because you’re thirsty and you don’t want to have a dry throat when it comes time to read your poem to the congregation.

Funerals in my south are Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine. And song leaders who tell you to turn to number 181 in the little red Heavenly Highway book, and all stand while we sing It is Well with My Soul.

And while you sit up in the sanctuary, crying not just for the one whose life is being memorialized, but also for the others you loved who are no longer with you, you take comfort knowing that the ladies of the church are downstairs in the basement, setting out assorted Corningware and Pyrex dishes, including three different kinds of macaroni and cheese, and four kinds of potatoes. Lunch, which will be waiting for you when the burial service at the adjacent graveyard has concluded. Complete with Taps and a 21 gun salute.

It’s hugging people’s necks that you don’t know, just because they are there and it seems like the right thing to do. It’s listening to stories you’ve heard before, and feeling comforted by the familiar.

For some, it’s just too much to stay and be comforted. And the very best they can do is get through the funeral service, and slip out quietly.

And sometimes it’s let’s all go back to Granny’s house, for old time sakes. And you go, and visit with cousins you never see, and reminisce about better times. Not knowing that in just a few short weeks they will move mountains to change the will, gripped in the grasp of greed and “it’s what Pa would have wanted.”

Funerals aren’t really for the dead. They’re for the living. The ones left behind. The ones left asking all the questions, often with none of the answers they want or need.

If a cultural anthropologist from the future came back and witnessed our funeral traditions, I wonder what they’d think. I wonder how much these traditions will change and evolve over time.

I hope they always have the macaroni and cheese.

Fun & Simple Football Tailgating Ideas

There are five words that bring a certain excitement to the air in Knoxville...it's Football time in Tennessee! When the Vols take the field tonight for their home opener against Appalachian State, it will be an historic event. 

1898 University of Tennessee Football Team

Not only is this the first time the Tennessee Volunteers take on the Mountaineers, it's been nearly 80 years since they hosted a game on a Thursday. That was a Thanksgiving Day game against Kentucky (according to UTSports.com). What's more, the last time the Vols played a home season opener on a Thursday was in 1896. I wonder what tailgating was like back then? 

1956 University of Tennessee Football Team 

Don't you love these vintage images? They are from the UT Volunteer Yearbook digital archives. It's so fun to think about what things used to be like! 

[image used with permission]

If you love tailgating, no matter what team you're rooting for, you might want to try this tasty appetizer this football season - pimento cheese stuffed peppers. I was inspired by the blog Magnolia Days and it's such an easy snack to make. Here's the full recipe.

If you're using jalapeno peppers, don't forget to wear gloves for the prep. Or at the very least don't touch your eyes! Since the seeds and the oil the contain are what bring the heat, you may want to remove them before adding your pimento cheese. A small ice cream scoop or melon baller is a great tool for this. You can also use peppers of a sweeter variety, such as the red, yellow and orange ones. I have found these pre-packaged in the produce section of my local Aldi and other grocery stores. Once assembled, eat 'em up! 

Depending on your tailgate, you can serve these cold from the cooler or pop them on the grill to get the cheese all melted. So delicious! If you want a great homemade pimento cheese recipe, try mine. If you are pressed for time, choose a great store-bought version like Palmetto Cheese. 

If you're a UT fan and need a great drink recipe for your tailgate, I highly recommend this simple concoction, the Orange Creamsicle Cocktail. I've made my version kid friendly, but you could follow the original recipe (via Homemade Hooplah) and use vodka. 

What to Bring to Neyland Stadium - 

If you haven't heard, there are new rules on what you can and cannot bring into the stadium for a UT game. 

From UTSports.com: Beginning in August 2016, fans will be allowed to bring only one clear plastic bag no larger than 12 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches or a one-gallon, clear, resealable plastic storage bag per person inside Neyland Stadium.

Fans will also be allowed a small clutch purse not to exceed 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches.

No other bags will be allowed inside Neyland Stadium. 

I found some great options that meet the clear bag requirement at Linda's Hallmark in Knoxville. There are two locations (one in Farragut & one in The Gallery shopping center near West Town). 

Make sure you are ready for the 2016 season! 

Tailgating on a Budget

My favorite thing about football is tailgating. Snacks & socializing, what's not to love? With the Tennessee Vols prepping for their home opener, my pals over at Fox43 asked me to share some simple and easy tailgating ideas on a budget!

1) Scour the Dollar Store

If you've read this blog before, you know I am a huge fan of Dollar General, Dollar Tree and such. You can find all sorts of great containers that can be perfectly re-purposed for tailgating.

With Halloween just around the corner, the added bonus is that there's lots of orange and white stuff to be found.

I picked up these great white plastic storage bins from the Target $1 zone and with a little orange Washi tape, dressed them up for chips, popcorn, and lots of other tailgating snacks.

These little white metal buckets are another great option, also with the Washi tape.

2) Think Outside the Container Box

Another great tailgating tip to help you stay under budget is to make your containers do double-duty. I picked up a white plastic shower caddy which will be great to corral condiments, utensils, and more.

I also found a great black plastic Halloween treat bucket in the Target $1 zone that will make a cute cooler for canned drinks. It's all about the presentation, and it doesn't take much to make things look a little special.

3) Food that's Easy to Eat

Tailgates are informal and everybody doesn't always sit in one spot for long. So I like to serve foods that are easy to eat. A favorite is Chili Frito Pies, straight out of the bag. Just slit the top of a small-sized bag of Fritos, spoon in some chili and add your favorite toppings.

Another favorite snack of mine is S'mores. To make it easier for tailgating, I adapted the recipe to become little individual chocolate pudding pies, complete with graham cracker crusts and toasted marshmallows. 

You can toast the marshmallows at home under the broiler the night before and then add them to the pudding pies. Or if you have an open fire at your tailgate, toast 'em on site. 

These are just a few simple, affordable ideas to use for your next tailgate! 

Where I'm from.

This bit of writing (see below) was inspired, like so many others, by the original Where I’m From poem by Ms. George Ella Lyon, a writer and teacher who was lucky enough to be in-real-life friends with Tennessee poet Jo Carson. Carson’s work Stories I ain’t Told Nobody Yet is what inspired Lyon to write about where she was from, which happens to be Kentucky.

I recently attended a writing conference where one of the speakers led the group through an exercise to write our own versions of this poem. The only problem was, she wanted us to visualize one meaningful place that had significance in our childhood. I have trouble picking just one.

There were so many places that helped form me, so many people who shaped me, so many things that made me. While it would be impossible to give proper mention to all of them, I wanted to try and shed some light on some of the important ones.

What Makes Me

by Kate Spears 

I am from the shirt factory, the tobacco field, the homestead and the barn loft.

I am from places that many people want to leave, but still there are others who stay. I am from people who picked up and moved. I am from people who put down roots and remained. I am from people as loyal as the day is long, and others who are fickle and change their mind with the seasons or whatever way the wind is blowing.

I am as loud as a fire-and-brimstone preacher and as quiet as a patient fisherman who understands the success of the day is the day itself, not what’s in the bucket.

I am from drawstring bags made of felt and filled with polished silver, from weathered barns piled high with junk that somebody else has to sort through after you die.

I am from green stamps, clipped coupons, and buy-one-get-one-free. I am from store-brands, and dented cans, Goodwill clothes and yard sale Tupperware. I am from waste nothing, want everything, and all you get out of life is what you enjoy.

I am from porches covered in Kelly green indoor/outdoor carpet. I am from pink formica countertops and kitchens that because there is no proper ventilation, smell of fried potatoes, cabbage and salmon patties long after the last bite has been eaten.

I’m from Levi Garrett, Kent Golden Light Kings, Vantage Ultra Light 100’s, and Marlboro Reds.

I am made of Mountain Dew, vy-eenie sausages, white half-runner beans, and red-eye gravy. Of honeysuckle and wild blackberries, poke sallet, hydrangeas and fried apple pies.

I’m from people who sang Amazing Grace, from people who sat on the back row of the church, and some who never darkened the door.

I’m made from people who washed feet, worshiped under the brush arbor and ate dinner on the ground.

There’s a tall maple tree outside my kitchen window. And soon, the helicopters will flutter away. My tree was once a helicopter growing on a tree that was also once just a helicopter. And back, and back, and back.

And so it goes for the things that make us. Nothing is new. Everything is a part of everything else. You carry it all with you so that one day, it will grow again.

Eat up for Luck and Prosperity in the New Year!

Southerners have many traditions tied to food but one that is probably most popular has to do with ringing in the New Year. Black-eyed peas and greens are two foods that are traditionally eaten, but who says you can't try a new twist on an old favorite?

I'm sharing three new ways to try black-eyed peas and greens to usher in health & good fortune in 2015. I hope you enjoy! 

1) Crunchy Baked Beans & Greens

This is a variation on black-eyed peas and collard greens that would make a great healthy snack.

Drain and rinse two cans of black-eyed peas. Toss with a couple tablespoons of olive oil and arrange on a baking stone or cookie sheet. Sprinkle with your favorite seasoning mix. Roast at 250 degrees for a couple of hours until the peas are crunchy.

Rinse and dry collard greens. Tear a few leaves of collard greens into smaller pieces. Arrange in a single layer on a baking stone or cookie sheet. Spritz or brush with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake at 300 degrees until the greens get crispy and dry (approx. 15 minutes). Serve immediately with crunchy peas and enjoy!

2) Tennessee Caviar Cocktails

This is a beloved appetizer that always gets eaten up at parties and gatherings whenever I make it. A variation on another recipe (called Georgia Caviar), it's simple to make and so delicious!

Mix 2 cans of black-eyed peas (drained and rinsed) with two cans of Ro-Tel tomatoes. Stir in a cup of raw, chopped collard greens (sliced in strips). Add 2 cups of Zesty Italian salad dressing and stir everything together. Chill before serving and let the flavors mingle for maximum impact.

Serve in individual cocktail glasses with a pickled okra garnish.

3) Black-eyed Pea Burgers

For a great main dish to enjoy on New Year's Day, try my black-eyed pea burgers.

To make them, you'll need two cans of black-eyed peas, 2 cups of bread crumbs and an egg.

Drain the peas, but reserve the liquid. Mash peas with a fork until they are thick and crumbly. Stir in the egg and gradually add bread crumbs until you get the consistency to make patties. Add some of the pea liquid as needed.

Pan fry each patty in a skillet over medium heat until the outside is seared. Then bake at 350 degrees for an additional 10 minutes until centers are cooked throughout. 

Serve on a bun with raw collards instead of lettuce. Another variation is to serve without a bun atop a bed of sautéed greens.

Eat up and enjoy good luck and prosperity in the New Year! 

Southern Christmas Traditions - Southern Living Sweets to Eat & Read

I have such a sweet tooth and when Christmas rolls around, I just can't resist indulging in some holiday sweets. There are so many great recipes out there for holiday goodies, but I'm running a bit behind this year, plus it would be impossible to try them all.

Since I've had some baking fails in my life, I try to stick with recipes that are tried-and-true and you don't get any better than the Southern Living test kitchen.

These culinary wizards work all through the year on confectionery creations, testing and making sure that they can share the recipes in good faith. Thank goodness for them is all I can say!

Here's a wonderful recipe that would be fun to recreate with your family this year and who knows, maybe you should make a few extra to leave out for the man in the red suit.

Minted White Chocolate Balls

Makes 32 cookies • Hands-on 30 min. • Total 1 Hour
(Coat in chocolate two at a time)

• 56 vanilla wafers, crushed (less than 1 [11-oz.] box)
• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
• 4 ½ tsp. light corn syrup
• 6 Tbsp. peppermint schnapps
• 3 cups white chocolate morsels
• Crushed peppermint candies for coating

1. Stir together first 6 ingredients; shape into 32 balls.
2. Microwave chocolate in a bowl at HIGH 30 seconds; stir. Microwave 20 more seconds or until smooth, stirring once.
3. Coat balls in white chocolate. Sprinkle with crushed hard peppermint candies immediately afterwards.
4. Place in parchment paper-lined pan. Chill for 30 minutes or until set.

Yum! For more great recipes like this, pick up the December issue of Southern Living Magazine, on newsstands now. And if you want even more great southern Christmas fun, consider the wonderful new book Southern Living Christmas All Through The South: Joyful Memories, Timeless Moments, Enduring Traditions. It is a gorgeous sight to behold and would make a wonderful gift for your favorite southerner or yourself!

**This post contains an Amazon affiliate link, but please don't feel any pressure to click on it**

Why People are Friendlier in Small Towns

I just read the most interesting op-ed from the LA Times. It posed the idea that the rudeness we have come to expect from people in our everyday interactions has to do with the fact that our societies have gotten too big. Apparently there is science behind the thought that as we live in larger and larger communities where we don't really know each other, our civility decreases.

What interested me most about this is that it pretty much applies scientific thinking to what most of us in the south have always known....folks in smaller communities are friendly.

I'm not saying this only applies to the south, but that's my point of reference (not to mention the focus of this blog). And there are absolutely some terribly rude southerners (just as there are rude people everywhere). But friendliness in small southern towns is just not an anomaly.

According to the LA Times article, people in smaller communities are friendlier because their reputation depends on it. When you feel known and respected in your community, you're more likely to behave better towards people. And alternately, I guess being surrounded by strangers means you don't care as much about protecting your reputation.

Growing up in the small town of Cookeville, Tennessee, being surrounded by strangers was a foreign concept for me. It's not like it was Mayberry or anything, but I just can't remember a time of venturing out and not running into someone who knew me or my family.

Even now when I go back to visit (after living in Knoxville for nearly 14 years!), I always see a familiar face. Maybe it's my preschool teacher or someone my mom used to work with, or somebody I went to church with growing up or maybe a member of my own family. I like to think I would try not to be rude no matter where I am, but the idea of displaying that type of behavior in front of someone who has known me all my life gives me a bad feeling (thus demonstrating that the science mentioned in the article is true for me).

One of my life's mottos (as coined by my dad who said this to us while we were growing up) is "Remember who you are and where you come from." I'm not just one person out there in the world, but in lots of ways I'm the product of the lives lived by the people who came before me. My grandparents, while far from perfect, stood for things that were honest, good and true. And they tried to instill that in my parents who wanted the same for me.

Ultimately, the biggest takeaway I get from articles like this is the importance of community. For awhile my community in Knoxville centered on my college experience. It was sort of a ready-made community with lots of avenues to be involved and connected. After college, I went through a pretty long period of feeling disconnected because most of the friends I had made moved away and I stayed. I had to work really hard to meet people and find new ways to connect and create community. And it's probably just been the last two or three years where I have really felt more plugged in.

It doesn't matter where we go or who we encounter (whether strangers or family), we still have an opportunity to impact the world for good. And it might be something as simple as holding the door for someone.

Maybe you've gone through a transition in life and feel disconnected. I hope that's not the case, but if it is, I want to encourage you. You are not alone. There are other people out there who want to hear your stories, and will laugh at your jokes. Don't spend another day believing the lie of alone.

As we each realize our value (to God, to each other, to our communities), rudeness becomes less of an issue because we are free to love each other instead. And I believe that can happen in communities of every size. But I'm always going to be grateful I grew up in small town. I've been lucky to travel all over the world, but I always love going back home. There's something about being known that gives a kind of comfort anonymity can't hold a candle to.

Preserving Fruits and Vegetables: How to Can

Growing up in the south, with grandparents who farmed, canning and putting up summer vegetables was a big part of my childhood. Of course I was too young to really know what was going on, but I remember how hard my grandmothers worked alongside my mom and aunt as they washed, peeled, cooked, cooled and canned various crops.



I've wanted to can for some time now, but was pretty intimidated by it all, after hearing horror stories of pressure cookers exploding, food spoilage and contamination. When a sweet southern lady invited me to spend a day with her and learn how to can, I jumped at the chance!

**NOTE: This is in no way an extensive resource for canning...just my experiences. I'm linking to some great information for you if you're a novice canner or hoping to try it out. Read on!

Pressure Canning vs. Water Bath Canning 

For my first lesson in canning, we selected green beans as our test subject. Depending on what you want to can, you will have to choose your method. Green beans require pressure cooker canning because they are a low-acid food. Click here for more information on this type of canning.

Water bath canning might be better for beginning canners since you are more likely to have a large stock pot vs. a pressure cooker. I've since added a pressure canner  to my wedding registry! Water bath canning is best for high-acid foods, which are easier to preserve. Click here for more information on water bath canning.

Both canning methods require some of the same basic tools. For any kind of canning, you will need: 

1) Either a pressure cooker or a stock pot for water bath canning

2) Jars - glass Mason jars (Ball® brand or other). 

3) Jar lids (this is the round, flat part) and jar bands (this is the part that looks like a ring)

4) Jar lifter - to remove hot jars from the canner

5) Jar funnel - to help you get your food into the jars more easily

6) Lid magnet or tongs - to remove lids from the hot water prior to placing them on jars

Basically, you follow your recipe depending on what you are trying to make. Be careful if you are using recipes from vintage cookbooks. Many of the older methods that were once used for canning are now considered unsafe or unhealthy. If your cookbook is more than 20 years old, take that into account and be sure to process your jars even if it doesn't call for it.

Here are a few other things to consider as you are canning: 

Canning Do's & Don'ts - 

It's important to remember you must use jars made for canning. Do not to re-use old Mayonaise jars or any other types of jars that had food in them bought from the store. These are not made to hold up to the heat of canning over and over again.

Also, don't ever re-use lids, but you can re-use bands.

Jars must be clean (really clean!) and hot before you put food into them. When I canned green beans, we filled the kitchen sink with hot water and submerged the jars prior to filling each one with green beans.

Lids must be hot too, before putting them on the jars so you'll want to keep them in a small pot of hot water. 

My best advice is to gather all materials before you begin. And make sure you have plenty of time to devote to canning because it's not something you can rush. At one point, the pressure cooker we were using wasn't sealed all the way so we had to stop and start all over. Then one of my jars didn't seal because two lids got stuck together. Little things can go wrong, but it's a learning process.

After a successful first attempt at canning green beans (13 out of the 14 jars I canned sealed properly!), I feel much more confident. I haven't tackled any other canning projects yet, but I think jelly might be my next thing to try. I feel silly for being so intimidated and avoiding it for so long, but now that I can can, I feel like I'm keeping part of my family legacy alive. I'm nowhere near achieving the master cook and canning status that my granny might have had, but I'm working on it.

Here's a complete resource for canning, if you want to check it out! 

Simple Tips to Make a Family Reunion More Fun

Summer is family reunion season. In fact, more than 65% of all family reunions take place during the warmer months. Whether you're planning a family reunion this year or just looking for ways to re-connect with your loved ones during the summer, here are some simple tips to make it more fun for everyone.

1) DIY Creative Family Tree Art

One of the biggest reasons some folks are hesitant to attend family reunions is that they feel like they won't know anybody or they won't know what to talk about. With families spread around the globe, it's not uncommon to have relatives you've never met.

A way to break the ice at your next family reunion is to create DIY Family Tree art. Not only does it allow everyone to get their creative juices flowing, but it also provides a way to start talking about who's who and how you each fit into the family tree.

All you need is some poster board or cardstock. Your family tree art can be large or small, simple or elaborate. If you're very artistic, you might want to draw portraits of each family member. Or maybe you can represent them with stickers (like my example above), photos, or just text.


Making a family tree is also a good way to teach kids about the members of their family and how everyone is connected. Even if you aren't headed to a reunion this summer, this project is something for your family to do together. Then, as new members of the family are born or marry into your clan, you can add them to the tree.

2) Genealogy Guessing Game 

Another way to break the ice and learn more about each other at a family reunion is with a genealogy guessing game. I found a simple template on Microsoft Publisher and printed it off at home, but you can also just use index cards. Put names and photos of members of your family on one side of each card and fun facts about them on the other.

You can use these in several different ways. First, you can play a game where you try to identify which family member is being described based on the facts, then flip the card over to check and see if you were right.

They can also function as flash cards prior to the reunion so you can get a better idea of who will be there and what you might want to talk to them about.

You could even make the cards with photos on one side before the reunion and then have everyone who is there write some fun facts about themselves on the back of their card. Possibilities are only limited by what you can think up!

3) Create a Totally Cool Family Time Capsule 

This is another idea that would be fun to try whether you are attending a family reunion or not. Creating a family time capsule is a great way to capture a slice of your family's life right now.

Think about what types of objects (or photos of them) you'd like to include. A family time capsule might be filled with things such as:

• medals or awards recently won
• favorite family recipes
• graduation mementos
• something from a favorite collection
• lost teeth
• small items with sentimental value
• coins
• a letter to your future self
• souvenirs from a special vacation or trip 
• post cards
• beloved family photos 
• flash drive with photo/video files

When you have all your time capsule items gathered up, you'll need some sort of container that can be sealed for at least a year, but maybe more. If your entire family is participating in the time capsule, limit each person to a couple of items. Then pack it away and don't open it back up until the next family reunion. 

Then, you'll have something to look forward to as well as something to talk about when you look back at how much everyone has changed since you sealed the time capsule.

4) Host a Family Photo Swap 

The thing about family photos is often there is only an original copy. To ensure that nobody has to fight over the awesome picture of great aunt Priscilla, I propose a photo swap.

For $10 or less, you can make black and white copies of lots of your beloved family photos at a local print shop. I took mine to Kinko's and did them this way, but you could even scan photos on a home scanner and print them off at a photo studio.

Gather up your photos and make some copies! Then you can divide up the prints so each person at the reunion (who wants one) can get a batch. Ask everyone to do this so you end up leaving with some great photos too.

If you just want digital copies, you could also have everyone scan the photos in and share them via an online file sharing service such as Dropbox.

Some of these ideas might be a little bit cheesy, but isn't that what family reunions are all about?

The bottom line is that a family reunion gives you a chance to reconnect with all the people who share your heritage. Some people go all out with themed family reunions, exotic beach getaways or mountain retreats. My family had a fun reunion years ago at Norris State Park. I don't think we did any activities, but we enjoyed ourselves all the same. Whether your reunion is uber fancy or oh so simple, I hope you enjoy connecting with the folks in your family! 

How to Decorate Your Hat for the Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is here and even if you aren't watching the excitement from Churchill Downs, you can still enjoy the festivities!

This morning, I joined my friends at Knoxville's Fox43 to share some ideas about how to decorate your hat for a Kentucky Derby party or other event. The most important thing to remember is you don't have to spend a lot of money to feel fantastic, just get creative and use what you have!

Check out my segment below or if you are receiving this post via email, you can click here to view it.

How to Decorate Your Hat for the Kentucky Derby 



Some items to consider using for Derby Hat decorations:

• Rhinestone brooches or pins
• Colorful silk scarves
• Silk flowers or greenery
• Real flowers or cut greenery
• Feathers 
• Mesh ribbon (such as the kind used on wreaths)
• Grosgrain ribbon
• Silk ribbon
• Tulle or netting
• Lace
• Scrap-booking trinkets or accouterments 

I used bobby pins to fasten the different decorative items to the hats for a less permanent solution. You could also use a hot glue gun or floral wire.

Just remember that if you are going to wear the hat for an extended period of time, weight and balance could become an issue if you use heavy things.

But it's a fun project and a fun time to get dressed up and celebrate springtime in the south! I hope you were inspired to decorate your own Kentucky Derby hat this year! There's really no limit except your creativity! 

Fun and Simple Ways to Decorate Eggs for Easter

Spring is a time of new life. Easter has always held a special place in my heart because of what it means to my faith. But the less-than-spiritual traditions of Easter are special too, because they bring back warm memories of childhood, including dyeing eggs with my grandparents and Easter egg hunts with my brother and cousins.

Did you know 180 million eggs are dyed and/or decorated for Easter in the United States each year? That's a lot of eggs! While those old school Paas Easter Egg Decorating kits were a mainstay of my childhood, I decided to branch out this year with some new Easter egg decorating ideas. 

I'm joining my friends from Mornings with Fox43 for a segment on Fun and Simple Ways to Decorate Eggs for Easter. These methods are fun and affordable and don't require lots of crafting skill...so you gotta love 'em! 

1) Dyeing Easter Eggs with Silk Scarves 

I've seen this project floating around on a few different blogs, but I've been so skeptical about it...until I tried it for myself. My silk dyed eggs turned out really beautiful. And believe it or not, this was fairly simple. 

 To create gorgeous dyed Easter eggs using silk, you'll need:

• Eggs (white)
• 100% silk fabric with a pattern (I used a silk scarf, but you could use silk shirt, silk ties, etc) 
• White cotton fabric (old pillowcase, handkerchief, or whatever you happen to have)
• Water
• Vinegar
• An enamel pot
• Bread ties or rubber bands 

Begin with a raw egg (no cracks). Wrap it tightly in a scrap of silk and tie with a bread tie or rubber band. Then wrap this in a square of white cloth and secure with another bread tie or rubber band. Place the wrapped egg in the pot and cover with water. Add a splash of vinegar. Bring the water to a boil and let it boil for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes (or so), remove your egg with tongs and place in cold water. When it's cool enough to handle, unwrap and voila! 

In case you're thinking "Silk? Didn't she say this was affordable?" the answer is your local thrift shop. I found a gorgeous silk scarf for $.99 and it already had some rips so I didn't feel bad about cutting it up. You can usually find outdated silk ties, dresses or blouses on the ninety-nine cents rack too (I hope your thrift store has a $.99 rack like mine does). 

2) Color Blocked Easter Eggs 

Another simple, but really pretty Easter egg decorating project, that was created for less than $5. I snagged a package of six plastic Easter eggs for $.88. Then, using spray paint I already had on hand, I painted each half of the eggs with the loveliest shades of turquoise and gold. 

I love the way these painted Easter eggs turned out so much. Who says a project has to be complicated to be good? And it's totally up to you depending on your desired color scheme. 

3) Sweet Easter Treats 

I wanted one of my Easter egg decorating ideas to be edible, so when I found a Wilton cake pan with egg-shaped molds at a rummage sale, I decided to put it to good use. With a basic Rice Krispies Treat recipe, I created egg-shaped treats and decorated them with store-bought frosting and candy.

Super easy and fun for all ages. You could even leave the eggs un-decorated until Easter and let your family decorate them together. If you don't have an egg-shaped pan, you can always shape them by hand or use plastic Easter eggs as a make-shift mold. 

For more fun Easter facts, check out this infographic from The History Channel's website. Do you eat your chocolate rabbit ears first?

Birthday Celebration: Dinner at Knox Mason

My birthday was a few weeks ago and to celebrate, the southern beau and I had dinner at Knoxville's Knox Mason. It's kind of sad that this was my first time dining at Knox Mason, even though I'd been wanting to eat there for what feels like forever.

Much like the tagline for my blog, Knox Mason is "utterly southern, and elaborately simple." And I mean that as a compliment.

The food was delicious. We began by enjoying deviled eggs, which were made with rooster sauce and Tennessee chow chow. The deviled eggs were creamy and rich...but somehow I missed that little sprinkling of paprika that usually accompanies them. Call me a deviled egg purist.

Next, we tried the pimento cheese, which is made with Sweetwater Cheese and served with Saw Works beer bread and Wickles pickles. Again, delicious. Although I have to admit I didn't think it was quite as good as my homemade pimento cheese, which I'd swear on the witness stand is the best pimento cheese I've ever had. Hear that Chef Matt Gallaher? The pimento cheese gauntlet has been thrown.

 For the main course, we decided to try two different salads...have I mentioned how much my beau loves to sit patiently looking at the food while I try to get the best possible photo? [sarcasm. but he is a good sport].

I got the beet salad, which was divine. If you aren't careful, you can really mess up beets by overcooking them. In fact, for most salads I make with beets, I prefer them raw for that crunchy texture. But the Knox Mason beet salad was great. That little swath of goat cheese smashed across the plate looks like a happy accident, but I suppose in fancy culinary circles this is the style du jour. Whatever, it was delicious.

My beau got the carrot salad with arugula, almonds and creme fraiche, which was also very tasty. He seemed to enjoy it quite a bit. 

For dessert, we tried the banana pudding, served in a mason jar with the most perfectly toasted marshmallow topping. Too cute!

Have you been to Knox Mason? What delicacies did you enjoy? Since I'm not a meat eater, it eliminated some things as options, but I had a great time. 

Want a side-by-side taste test comparison of Knox Mason pimento cheese vs. Southern Belle Simple pimento cheese? Here's my recipe. 

Mountain Music

Whether you believe it's God or just being part of the universe, I think we all have a deep desire to feel connected to something bigger than ourselves. I believe it's God. And while I think everyone should be free to believe what he or she feels is authentic for them, I struggle to understand people who think we're all just here at random.

Maybe it's because I still feel so close to my family members who have passed away, but I often encounter things that recall them to me in such a way that they are almost present.

This happened the other night as I arrived home and heard a song playing on the radio. I always leave NPR playing for my dog when he's home alone and there is a great program on my local public radio station that plays every Saturday night called Mountain Jubilee (You can listen to it live online for free! but that's beside the point).

The song was Angel Band, performed by E.C. and Orna Ball, a pair of Virginia folk musicians. This is the kind of music that I grew up hearing and singing at the small country churches where my grandparents attended. The slightly nasal, twangy sound of it only adds to the experience. There was something about the lyrics and Orna's higher pitched voice that took me right back to the Sundays of my childhood, nestled up against my granny in the church pew, chewing on a stick of Juicy Fruit she had pulled from her purse.

I referenced this on the Southern Belle Simple Facebook page, and got many responses from folks who also had grannies, and sweet memories of them at church through the years.

How easily I take for granted these memories, until I meet someone who has no memory of a grandparent to think fondly on...or worse, people who feel disconnected from everything and lack any sort of cultural identity or heritage.

Maybe it doesn't matter to people as much as it does to me....this feeling of connectedness that ties us together across generations. Maybe I'm strange or weird to put as much importance on it as I do. I just don't know how to be any other way.

Here are a few examples of music that I really enjoy...the Angel Band song is on this compilation called Back Roads to Cold Mountain.Another great one is this, Come to Mountain: Old Time Music for Modern Times.

Savor the South: Okra and Pickles & Preserves

I was excited to get an unexpected package in the mail and even more excited when I opened it to reveal the newest volumes in the SAVOR THE SOUTH Cookbook collection: Okra and Pickles & Preserves. 

The cookbook series, published by The University of North Carolina Press, includes other editions such as Peaches, Pecans, Buttermilk, and Biscuits. These are great little cookbooks that pack a punch with some wonderful recipes and commentary from major southern food writers and experts .

Okra: A Savor the South® Cookbook is written by none other than the fabulous Virginia Willis. She's just great and her insight on the "bright green, heat-loving vegetable" includes slime busting tips, and fifty recipes for how to make it more delicious (26 southern dishes and 24 global dishes). I love fried okra, but I hate standing over a skillet...so the oven fried version below caught my attention when I was thumbing through the book.

Photo by Scott M. Porush

Oven-Fried Okra

From OKRA: a Savor the South^® cookbook by Virginia Willis. Copyright © 2014 by Virginia Willis.  Used by permission of the University of North Carolina Press. www.uncpress.unc.edu

Let’s face it, there’s really nothing like fried okra, but this oven-fried version comes darn close. I prefer to use organic canola cooking spray. It has little flavor, a high smoke point for high-heat cooking, and no aftertaste like some cooking sprays seem to have.

Makes 4–6 servings

·         1 cup fine cornmeal (not self-rising)

·         1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

·         Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

·         1/2 cup buttermilk

·         1 large egg, lightly beaten

·         1 pound okra, stem ends trimmed, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

·         Cooking spray

Place a rimmed baking sheet in the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°.

Combine the cornmeal and cayenne pepper in a shallow dish. Season heartily with salt and pepper.

Whisk together the buttermilk and egg in a large bowl. Add the okra and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and set aside to marinate, about 3 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the okra from the buttermilk and add it to the cornmeal mixture. Dredge the okra in the cornmeal mixture. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and spray it with cooking spray. Place the okra on the heated pan and lightly coat it with additional cooking spray. Bake for 25 minutes, stirring once. Stir and spray again. Cook an additional 10–12 minutes. Remove from the oven and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Pickles and Preserves: A Savor the South® Cookbook is written by Andrea Weigl, the food writer for the Raleigh News & Observer. It begins with some great how-to information for the novice canner (such as myself). The best part to me were the "Don'ts" because I guess with canning it can go south really fast if you don't do the right thing. This is my year to can y'all...I just feel it!

Until then, here's a refrigerator pickle recipe that I know won't be too hard.

Spicy and Sour Refrigerator Pickles

From PICKLES & PRESERVES: a Savor the South^® cookbook by Andrea Weigl. Copyright © 2014 by the University of North Carolina Press. Used by permission of the University of North Carolina Press. www.uncpress.unc.edu

I don’t think my husband and I could survive without a jar or two of pickles in the refrigerator to serve with hamburgers, hot dogs, and pulled pork sandwiches. So it really says something that this recipe has become our go-to recipe for cucumber pickles. I’ve even used the same brine to pickle jalapeño slices. 

I first tasted these pickles while judging a cooking contest at Burt’s Bees corporate headquarters in Durham, North Carolina. The recipe is adapted from Beth Ritter’s winning entry. Ritter says it appeared in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram years ago and was attributed to Dock and Opal Everett, who used to own a produce stand in Waco, Texas. I use a mandolin to make quick work of slicing the cucumbers, jalapeño, and onion.

Makes 2 quart jars

·         2 pounds pickling cucumbers, such as Kirby, cut into 1/4-inch slices

·         1 jalapeño, seeded and sliced

·         1 onion, sliced

·         4 cups white vinegar

·         1/4 cup pickling salt

·         3 1/2 cups sugar

·         1 1/2 teaspoons celery seeds

·         1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric

·         1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds

·         1 tablespoon black peppercorns

Combine the cucumbers, jalapeño, and onion in a large bowl.

Heat the vinegar, pickling salt, sugar, celery seeds, turmeric, mustard seeds, and peppercorns in a medium stainless-steel saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved, about 10 minutes.

Pack the vegetables evenly into hot, sterilized jars. Ladle the brine over the pickles, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Seal the jars with lids.

Let the pickles sit in the refrigerator for 5 days before eating. These pickles are good for 1 year but best within 3 months.

So there you have it. Two great new cookbooks and tons of new recipes...You should snatch these up! They are available where books are sold. Also, be on the lookout for the next editions in the SAVOR THE SOUTH series, Sweet Potatoes and Southern Holidays.