The doorbell rang and left me smiling......

I dread the doorbell after 6pm. It is usually some fresh faced school kid trying to squeeze yet another dime from the Casa De Dust.


Not tonight, it was the UPS guy with this

drum roll.....






Paula Deen & Friends: Living It Up, Southern Style
by Paula Deen with Martha Nesbit
Simon & Schuster, 2005

ISBN: 0-7432-6722-2


Hooray, an early gift, and what a lovely cookbook it is. Dash and I fought over it. I gave in, and let him read it, while I did dinner dishes. I think he looked through it for 30 minutes.

AWTM: "So are you finding any good recipes?"

Dash: "I think I have found dessert, mini chocolate eclairs"

AWTM: (smiling at DH) "Do we have the ingredients?"

Dash: "3 cups whole milk, flour, eggs, and butter...Do we have 3 cups of whole milk?"

AWTM: "I think we do, that will be a great project for tomorrow."

I am thrilled with this gift. Can I tell you, I have been skimming through it all night. I can hear Paula reading each recipe too. I am going to take it to the bath tonight, it is that good.

It is filled with plenty of menu ideas for entertaining. Even food for vacations, and menus for a slumber party! Paula also makes room for short cuts, and insists on getting out of the kitchen ASAP so the cook can enjoy her guests.

So guess what AWTM, is having for her birthday cake?

A mound of mini chocolate eclairs. I think it is exactly what I need. Oh and if they turn out, I think I would love chocolate eclairs every year for my birthday.

I also was thrilled to see Dash looking through this cookbook so intrigued by recipes.

Thank You Uncle Rico, Aunt Leggy, and Cousin Curl, for sending a gift that transported me from being fearful of tomorrow, to planning meals for the next few months.