The Cookbook Ladies.

The season is here

2011-11-16T14:11:00.001-06:00

Once a year, Quail Ridge Press has a Warehouse Sale to offer people in our community the opportunity to get slightly hurt books at big discounts. It helps us clean out our warehouse for sure. But mostly, we love meeting our customers and hearing their comments and suggestions about our cookbooks. This year the weather was perfect! We had people, not only from our own community, but from all over Mississippi. There was a lot of Christmas shopping going on by some very smart people who know cookbooks make lasting gifts with delicious results.

The 500 Fast and Fabulous Five-Star Five Ingredient Cookbook, More Five Ingredient Cookbook, and the Party Foods and Appetizers cookbooks were among the most popular as gifts for young cooks. What am I saying? They were also buying them for themselves! Our new regional series was popular, too. And One-Dish Wonders was a come-back-for-more discovery.

Patty Roper's beautiful new cookbook, Easy Does It: Winners and Favorites had just come in, and though there were not any hurt copies, people were excited to be among the first to buy this beautiful new cookbook. And as always, The Twelve Days of Christmas Cookbook, the first book we published back in 1978, continues to be our best seller at this event.

The season is here. We hope you will be cooking up some delicious dishes for the holiday season, with lots of help from our cookbooks. Enjoy the season...and all the goodies that go with it.

Think Different

2011-10-06T11:09:00.000-05:00

We salute the life of Steve Jobs, who taught the publishing business and the world to "think different."

Young at Heart

2011-10-06T11:07:00.000-05:00

Since I am on the Board of Directors of the Jackson Heart Foundation, I was not happy at all to have to miss our annual Heart Gala. I had a QVC appearance and could not make it, but one of my staff members, Emily Burkett and her husband Michael went in Barney and my place.

Having gotten there early, she took some photos of the awesome arrangements and settings and delicious hors d'oeuvres that were so beautifully displayed. Thanks, Emily, and thanks to hosts Dr. and Mrs. Stone for opening their beautiful house to host such a worthy event.

Use the code BLOG when you checkout, and get a 20% discount through October 2011!

2011-10-04T09:22:00.001-05:00

American Adventure

2011-09-28T08:37:00.013-05:00

In early September we were privileged to entertain a guest from Oerie, Germany. Kim was delightful and so curious about every thing American, especially the food! It was special that after tasting gumbo in two different restaurants, she liked homemade best. She tried everything I fed her in the week she was here and loved it all. Imagine watching someone eat grits for the first time! And then she was amazed at the wafer-thin bacon. Her favorite breakfast was Popover Pancakes.

We also took her on a river boat tour of the Mississippi, which was on her list of want-to-do's, and took the office crew and spouses with us. It was so much fun! And the sun setting on the river was awesome! We got to see so much more of our surroundings than we ever have. I recommend you take a visitor around, or just treat yourself as if you were. America is truly a beautiful country no matter where you go.

Tasty Tailgating

2011-08-29T12:48:00.022-05:00

At the end of August, we are forced to say goodbye to summer, but welcome the return of kids-back-in-school and more scheduled routines...and of course...football! Not sure if it is now America's favorite spectator sport over baseball, but it is most definitely a sport that carries special fun around it, like parties before and after, especially tailgating! And of course, that involves feeding lots of hungry people. Need some good take-along recipes? Well, mam, have we got the cookbook for you!

I think you are going to love my new Recipe Hall of Fame cookbook called One Dish Wonders. It's got tailgating written all over it! Lots of casseroles, of course, but we expanded it to include appetizers, breakfasts, soups, salads, and desserts...anything that ends up in one dish. There are so many beautiful new casserole dishes out there these days that go from freezer or frig right to oven, and the clean-up is a snap. They even come with carry cases that make tailgating a snap. We added some good reading and conversation starters by including photos and trivia about Wonders of the World. There's more than seven...in fact, there are more than seven lists! You have to order it from QVC till October 3rd, but they have a super good advanced price. Treat yourself to tailgating or just plain good meals at home with these 350 award-winning recipes in One Dish Wonders.

Here's a sneak preview:

Friendship Chicken Casserole

6 chicken breast halves

2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup

1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained

1 (15-ounce) can chop suey vegetables, drained

1 cup chopped celery

1 (7-ounce) can Chinese noodles

1/2 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped green onions

1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped cashew nuts

Combine all ingredients, except nuts, in large bowl. Place mixture in greased shallow casserole dish. Cover with nuts. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes. Serves 10-20.

Miriam Weems

2011-08-22T16:16:00.004-05:00

Barney and Gwen McKee and the entire staff of Quail Ridge Press deeply regret the passing of our beloved author Miriam Weems. We offer our sincerest condolences to her family and all of the people who knew her and were blessed to have experienced her delightful personality. May she rest in peace.

Use the code BLOG when you checkout, and get a 20% discount through September 2011!

2011-08-05T09:04:00.003-05:00

Breakfast in Prague

2011-08-05T08:52:00.011-05:00

Believe it or not, this is breakfast! Who says breakfast has to be bacon and eggs? Well, in the Savic Hotel in Prague, the breakfast bar was anything but usual. I welcomed beans and carrots and potatoes to go with my bacon and follow my cereal! We spent the entire day hoofing around this beautiful city, and a hearty breakfast is exactly what we needed. I didn't choose the cheeses and cold meats and fishes that morning (like son Shawn did), or the Nutella to chocolate up my pastry (though made in America, available at almost all European breakfast buffets), but there was lots more available. These carrots were pretty bland, but I'm a carrot lover and look for ways to encourage people to eat more of them.
I really like the recipe for Cody Carrots in our Best of the Best from Big Sky Cookbook. It was shared by the Great Entertainer Cookbook, and I suppose Wild Bill Cody had something to do with it, perhaps if just to lend his name. Nevertheless, it has a bit of wildness to it, but delicious! Mention this blog by using the code BLOG when you checkout, and get a 20% discount through September 2011. You'll be glad you did!

Scallops in Scotland

2011-07-29T14:33:00.034-05:00

Traveling is always so much fun to tour interesting places, to chat with people you meet, but also to be able to sample the local cuisine. It is truly an education about the culture of most places you go.
On our recent trip to Europe with our son and daughter-in-law, Barney and I always enjoyed reading menus, although we were sometimes challenged to actually know what we might be getting. In most countries you have to ask if they have a menu in English, so it was a treat in Scotland to not have this problem.
These appetizer scallops at the Tiger Lily in Edinburgh were so delicious, I was reluctant to even offer them around. Of course, you can see Barney eyeing the beautiful presentation on a board of slate (well, it looked like slate), and well he should. It was fantastic! We always tried to eat what the locals did, or at least what is indicative of the area. Fortunately, we had already had our haggis, neeps and tatties, and so branched out to a bit fancier cuisine. And yes, I shared my scallops...and he shared his dish with me. Barney and I always order different things so we get to sample more. Fun!

My favorite recipe that echoes these is called Teriyaki Scallops on page 28 of our new edition of Best of the Best from Florida Cookbook. The Courtyard on Grove (Merritt Island) serves these and shared their recipe. So many great seafood recipes in this book. Mention the code BLOG and get a 20% discount off your next Best of the Best Cookbook order! Yummm....

Sold Out!

2011-07-13T14:21:00.002-05:00

Fresh from the Farmers Market Cookbook sold out on QVC! Click the link below to watch the show!

http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.CM_SCID.coll.item.F09511.desc.Best-of-the-Best-Fresh-from-the-Farmers-MarketCookbook

More books will be available August 10 when Terresa Ray returns to QVC on My Time with Mary Beth at 8 a.m. CST and In the Kitchen with David at 8 p.m. CST!

2011-07-08T16:42:00.004-05:00

Recipe Hall of Fame Fresh from the Farmers Market Cookbook will debut this Sunday, July 10th on QVC! Watch "In the Kitchen with David" 11-2pm (central). Terresa Ray will be filling in as the on-air guest.

ON QVC

2011-01-07T14:35:00.000-06:00

Marie Louise Ludwig will be a back-up guest for Gwen Wednesday, January 12, at 3pm Eastern since Gwen is unable to make the scheduled appearance. Marie Louise has guest hosted Gwen's cookbooks on-air in the past and does a beautiful job of showing what the cookbooks are all about. We are hoping for a sell-out of the remaining 3,000 (out of 50,000) copies of this "While Supplies Last" bargain. Together, the two cookbooks retail for $39.90, and this incredible WSL has them both for just $16.21! You're getting over 900 recipes, all delicious, fast and fabulous, with, of course, lots of good reading inside. Better hurry...this won't last long.

Gwen

Perfect Alignment

2010-12-16T10:22:00.002-06:00

Every November, Barney and I get to witness a phenomenon that never fails to amaze us!
But then I suppose you could say we are easily entertained.
Years ago we bought an Edward Hopper print at a museum store simply because we liked it. We hung it in our bedroom because the wall color in the photo seemed a similar color. Actually, when we hung it, it was the exact color, and fit there very nicely. We often discussed what was really going on in the painting, who was saying what to the other, and what the artist was trying to portray. One sunny morning in November about five years ago while we were enjoying coffee in bed, we noticed the sunlight came through our porch doors hitting the wall at the same angle as the sunlight came through the window in the painting. And sure enough, as the sun rose, it lined up with the path of the sun ray in the photo! I mean exactly! It was almost like something divine! So every year we look for it after Halloween, when the sun is low and shadows are deep, and we get just as excited when it breaks through the high window over our porch and is in perfect alignment for only a couple of days every November. (And, no, we have never moved the picture from where we originally hung it years ago.) Here is a photo...enjoy our phenomena with us.

In the Kitchen With David Again!!!!!!

2010-12-09T10:48:00.001-06:00

QVC has invited me back with my 2 book set to be "In the Kitchen with David" on December 19, 2010 at 11:00 am central time. Please don't miss it ! Here is a recipe from Party Foods and Appetizers, one of the books in the set.

Gwen's Baked Sausage Meatballs

1 (1-pound) roll hot ground sausage

1 pound ground chuck

1 egg

2/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 cup minced onion

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup Worcestershire

Mix all ingredients, except Worcestershire, together with hands. Form into small (1-inch) balls and put on baking sheets. Bake at 325 degrees for 22 minutes or till nicely browned. Remove meatballs to chafing dish or crockpot to keep warm, saving 3 tablespoons of drippings. Mix drippings with Worcestershire and a little water. Pour over meatballs. You want just enough liquid to keep meatballs from sticking to pot. Soooo Good ! Serves 10 - 20
.

2010-12-01T10:03:00.000-06:00

The Twelve Days of Christmas Cookbook Is a great gift at a great price. ONLY $6.95. Includes 150 carefully selected recipes for delightful holiday menus for all your Christmas celebrations. Keeping with the tradition of the “Twelve Days of Christmas” poem. Our little Twelve Days of Christmas Cookbook makes an excellent stocking stuffer, teachers’ gift, or hostess gift. Call 1-800-343-1583 and say you saw it on on the Cookbook Ladies Blog and get FREE SHIPPING!

Enjoy Recipes such as:

Glazed Pork Tenderloin

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp vinegar

2 tsp cornstarch

3/4 cup orange juice

1 (6 pound) tenderloin roast, deboned, rolled, and tied

salt and pepper to taste

Combine sugar, vinegar, mustard, cornstarch, and orange juice, and cook stirring often, until mixture thickens. Wipe the roast well with a damp cloth, and rub with salt and pepper. Place on oven rotisserie or an open oven rack and bake, basting with glaze every 20 minutes, at 350 degrees until completely done (185-190 degrees).

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T08:04:00.002-06:00

1 med onion, chopped ¾ Tbsp sage (to taste)
2 cups celery, diced 1 tsp baking powder
½ cup bacon grease 4 eggs, beaten
2 qts sweet corn bread crumbs 4-6 cups hot chicken broth
(3 pkgs of corn bread mix equals 2 qts) 4 eggs, hardboiled & chopped
1 ½ Tbsp salt (to taste) (or can use all 8 eggs, beaten)
½ tsp pepper (to taste)

Cook onion and celery in hot bacon grease on low heat until onion is soft but not brown. Meanwhile, mix corn bread crumbs and seasonings together. Add onion, celery, and bacon grease and the beaten eggs to the corn bread mixture and mix. Gradually add hot chicken broth to corn bread mixture, add hardboiled eggs and more seasoning if desired. Bake at 350 until brown, about 1 hour.

FROM OUR TEXAS PRIDE COOKBOOK ! Check it out at quailridge.com

In The Kitchen With David on QVC!

2010-11-16T09:05:00.001-06:00

On QVC November 21, 2010 at 12 pm Eastern Time and 11 am Central Time. Big Savings on Fast and Fabulous 2 book set so don't miss it!

WAREHOUSE SALE November 11, 12, and 13, 2010

2010-10-05T09:46:00.002-05:00

Located off 471 between the Shell Station and Gary's Carpet, in Brandon, MS

I'm Going to Be on QVC!

2010-10-05T09:43:00.000-05:00

I'm Going To Be On QVC AGAIN !!!!
I will be doing a show on QVC October 10, 2010 at 10: am on Saturday Morning Q! I'm so excited to be going again! PLEASE WATCH and let me know your opinion of the show!

JUNE 17th: Gwen on QVC!

2010-06-16T12:59:00.011-05:00

On QVC with host David Venable, from an earlier appearance.

Planning to be up late on Thursday? Be sure to tune in to QVC for the June 17th "Summer Cooking" show. I'm going to be a guest on David Venable's 2-hour show that starts at 11:00 p.m. (Central) and runs until 1:00 a.m.

We'll be featuring 13 recipes from my Fast & Fabulous Soups, Salads and Sandwiches book.

Get your copy out and follow along with us. I've listed the page numbers to make it easier. (You can get your own copy by clicking here).

Here are the dishes we'll feature with David on June 17th:

Juicy Pig Hoagies ~ Pg. 173
Sweet and Sour Chicken Wraps ~ Pg. 177
Best Taco Seasoning Mix ~ Pg. 198
Chicken Noodle Veggie Soup Mix ~ Pg. 10
Gotcha Gazpacho ~ Pg. 70
Minute Shrimp Bisque ~ Pg. 43
Pasta Garden Salad ~ Pg. 109
Party Summer Salad ~ Pg. 101
Big Island Chicken Salad ~ Pg. 117
Really Nice Rice Salad ~ Pg. 111
Tupper’s Favorite Pimento Cheese Sandwiches ~ Pg. 145
Pink Cloud Bing Cherry Pie ~ Pg. 210
Moose Shots ~ Pg. 212

Why don't you plan to call in and tell us how you like this newest addition to the "Fast & Fabulous" series. Hope to hear from you soon!

~ Gwen

Time to fire up the grill. It's almost Father's Day!

2010-06-02T15:35:00.003-05:00

Father's Day is right around the corner and we're all getting in the mood for some cooking outside! So I think it's a perfect time to feature some of the best ribs you'll find.

I'd like to share a recipe that we gave out this month in the newsletter that Barbara and I send out. (If you're not on the mailing list and you'd like to be, click here and we'll get you signed up)

It's from Smoke in the Mountains Cookbook: The Art of Appalachian Barbecue which is an entire book devoted just to the manly art of barbecue. If you like this recipe, you may want to get your own copy to give for a Father's Day gift. We've got them on sale right now for $12.70 (a $4.00 savings). Hope you enjoy it!

Sweet 'n' Easy Barbecue Beef Ribs

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon pepper

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon brown sugar

5 pounds (or more) country-style beef ribs

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup strawberry jelly

1/4 cup beer

1/4 cup whiskey

1/4 cup real butter

Combine the garlic, pepper, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Rub this mix into the ribs. Place ribs in a covered dish or freezer bag and place in the fridge overnight. Combine the remaining ingredients and brush on the ribs. Grill or smoke over medium indirect heat for about 2 hours. Increase to medium to high heat and grill while basting. Serve hot.

Take your mom to a tea party with Patty Roper this Saturday!

2010-05-07T13:34:00.007-05:00

If you'll be out anywhere near Philadelphia, MS on Saturday (May 8th), it'll certainly be worth your while to plan to swing by Kademi gifts. Patty Roper is having a book signing from Noon till 2:30 p.m. with recipes and food to sample from Easy Parties and Wedding Celebration. At 12:30 Patty will give a special demonstration.

What a great girls day out this will be for moms and daughters. And wouldn't an autographed copy of Patty's newest book make a great Mother's Day gift?

Kademi is located at 401 Center Avenue in Philadelphia, MS. For driving directions, just call the store at 1-888-4KADEMI or 1-601-656-5400.

Have a great weekend!

Patty will set up some of her elegant and imaginative party tablescapes for you to see during the Kademi booksigning.

~Gwen

Did you get your recipe?

2010-05-04T12:04:00.005-05:00

Here's a simply wonderful recipe that I featured in our email newsletter this month. Are you signed up to get your free copy? If not, go to this page, put in your email and I'll add you to the list for next month. We won't give your email to anyone else, so you don't have to worry about a bunch of spam messages.

Try this pie when you have a chance. It comes from Patty Roper's new book that I talked about last week (Easy Parties & Wedding Celebrations, see below).

One unexpected ingredient: the crust is made with saltine crackers! It's so delicious you'll want to take it to your next event.

Here it is. I hope you enjoy it:

French Cherry Pie

3 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup sugar

9 saltine crackers, finely crushed

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat egg whites until foamy; add cream of tartar. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff. Fold in crackers, pecans, and vanilla. Spread into greased 9-inch pie plate and bake 35 minutes. Cool.

FILLING

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup whipped topping

1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling

Cream sugar and cream cheese; add vanilla and fold in whipped topping. Pour into crust, top with pie filling, and chill. Yield: 8 servings.

~Gwen

Come by and see Patty Roper in Holly Springs today.

2010-04-29T08:30:00.000-05:00

If you'll be traveling near north Mississippi on April 29th, make plans to stop in at Jennie's Flowers between 2:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Author Patty Roper will be there in person signing her newest book, Easy Parties and Wedding Celebrations, published by our company, Quail Ridge Press.

You'll be able to sample some of the delicious party recipes Patty includes in her book, as well as view creative tablescapes. Jennie's Flowers & Gifts is located at 150 East College Avenue in Holly Springs. For directions or more information, call them at (662) 252-4831.

~ Gwen

April is National Donate Life Month

2010-03-26T16:05:00.003-05:00

You don't have to wait until your drivers license renewal to sign up to be an organ donor. You can do it right now and print out a card for your wallet. Click here:

Mississippi residents

Residents of other states

Get a donor card

It's so easy to sign up to give the gift of life. You can read FAQ about donation here.

Why not make a quick pot of gumbo tonight?

2010-03-10T15:39:00.004-06:00

Easy Chicken & Crab Gumbo

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A Great Make-ahead Meal!

2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons flour
4 cups chicken broth
2 (14-ounce) packages frozen gumbo vegetable mix
(Mix contains okra, onions, celery, and bell pepper)
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup quick-cooking rice
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 bay leaf
2 (6-ounce) packages grilled chicken strips, cut up
1 (6 1/2-ounce) can crabmeat, drained (or fresh)

Saute garlic in hot oil. Stir in flour till slightly brown. Add chicken broth, vegetable mix, tomatoes, rice, seasoning, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer 10-15 minutes, or till okra is tender. Stir in chicken and crabmeat; heat thoroughly. Serves 6.

(From Fast and Fabulous Soups, Salads and Sandwiches, page 54)

Watch QVC tonight at 11 pm Central! (Midnight/Eastern)

2010-02-22T13:31:00.010-06:00

Wouldn't it be great if you could re-create those premium restaurant-style sandwiches and soups at home? Come watch us on QVC tonight at 11 pm/Central and we'll show you how!

I'll be appearing on the "Kitchen Ideas" program with recipes from our newest book "Fast and Fabulous Soups, Salads and Sandwiches".

Join us tonight and plan on phoning in if you've already got our new book. I'd love to talk to you on air!~Gwen

A great soup story for the Super Bowl

2010-02-15T12:48:00.007-06:00

We were so pleased that Kara Kimbrough's recent Super Bowl article for the Madison County Herald featured our recipes!

In the Feb. 6th feature about Marlana Walters, all three of the recipes listed in the article came either from our newest release, Fast & Fabulous Soups, Salads and Sandwiches, or our cookbook Fast & Fabulous Party Foods and Appetizers. They picked out some of our favorite recipes to use.

In the article, Marlana talked about making White Chili in a Bread Bowl, Blue Cheese Burgers, and Black-Bottom Toffee-Top Cheesecake Bars. I'm going to give you the White Chili recipe here today. If you'd like the others, just click here to read the whole article.

White Chili in a Bread Bowl

1 cup chopped onion
1-2 (4-ounce) cans chopped green chiles, drained
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons oil
2 (16-ounce) cans Great Northern beans
4-5 cups chicken broth
1-2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 (7-ounce) package grilled chicken strips, chopped
6-8 individual round loaves sourdough bread
Sour cream

Cook onion, chilies and garlic in oil in Dutch oven till onion is tender. Stir in beans, brother and seasoning. Bring to a boil. Simmer 30 minutes. Slightly mash beans to thicken. Add chicken; cover and simmer 10-15 minutes longer.
Hollow out sourdough loaves; spoon chili into bread bowls. Top with sour cream. Serves 6-8.

Recipe from Fast & Fabulous Soups, Salads and Sandwiches, Gwen McKee and Barbara Moseley, Quail Ridge Press.

~Gwen

A sad goodbye

2010-02-05T11:46:00.002-06:00

We would like to offer our condolences to the family of Chief Phillip Martin, a friend and great Mississippian.

With deepest sympathy from all of us at Quail Ridge Press

This chili is the perfect companion to all this cold weather

2009-12-29T08:28:00.006-06:00

This morning I woke up to frost and temperatures in the low 20s. That's cold for Mississippi! So my thoughts are naturally turning to something warm and comforting for dinner--like this easy chili that's packed with flavor. You may already have most of its ingredients in your freezer and pantry. What could be better than a big pot steaming away in the kitchen on a cold night?

Here's the recipe:

Hearty Home-Style Chili

2 pounds ground round

1 (14-ounce) package frozen mirepoix blend (chopped onions, celery, carrots)

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with garlic, oregano, and basil, undrained

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

1/2 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained, rinsed

In a large saucepan, brown beef; drain, then add frozen vegetables and tomatoes; cook till tender. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 1 hour. Serves 6 or 7.

This recipe if from our new book Fast & Fabulous Soups, Salads and Sandwiches, which just came out in November. You can find it on page 65, if you already have it.

~ Gwen

Nancy Lottridge Anderson's signing at Lemuria

2009-12-18T08:50:00.004-06:00

(L to R:) Gwen McKee, Barney McKee, Nancy Lottridge Anderson

at Lemuria Bookstore's Dec. 12th book signing.

On Saturday, Barney and I went over to Lemuria to go to a signing for Nancy Lottridge Anderson's new book "Tough Talk for Tough Times". She's a financial counselor and the co-host of the radio show "Money Talks" on MPR. She's got some great advice for managing money.

If you're looking for something fun to do this weekend, Nancy has another book signing this Saturday, Dec. 19th in Clinton, MS. It's at Pentimento Books from 1:00 till 3:00 p.m. See details here: http://bit.ly/6RCnJ3

~Gwen

Kara Kimbrough reveals Patty Roper's entertaining secrets and gives 4 party recipes.

2009-12-08T09:54:00.008-06:00

Did you see the article in Saturday's Madison County Herald? I think Kara Kimbrough did a great job of reviewing Patty Roper's newest book: Easy Parties and Wedding Celebrations. My favorite quote? "When you invite people into your home, you are telling them they are special to you."

I'm including below one of the recipes from that article. Click here to read the full article and see the rest of her party recipes.

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Shrimp Pasta

1-1/2 sticks margarine

1 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoon dried parsley

1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

l/2 teaspoon Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning

1-1/2 pounds fresh medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 (12-ounce) package fettuccini, cooked al dente and drained

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 (16-ounce) package processed cheese, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained

1/2 cup half-and-half

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, melt margarine over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, mushrooms, salt, peppers, garlic powder, and Tony's seasoning. Pour mixture into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and stir in shrimp, tossing gently to coat. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook fettuccini al dente. Add olive oil, cheese, green chiles, and half-and-half. Stir until melted and combined. Remove shrimp from oven; stir in fettuccini and cheese mixture until combined. Cover with foil and warm for 5 minutes. Yield: 20 small servings.

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View Patty's Other Recipes:

Pork Tenderloin
Apricot Sauce
Sugar Cookies

Tired of turkey? Try this recipe for Shrimp Remoulade from Galatoire's in New Orleans.

2009-11-30T08:47:00.009-06:00

There's a wonderful recipe for Shrimp Remoulade that's the perfect change from all the turkey and ham we've been eating over the Thanksgiving holidays.

Galatoire's Shrimp Remoulade

1 bunch celery
1 bunch green onions
1 bunch parsley
1/2 large yellow onion
1 cup ketchup
1 cup tomato puree
1 cup Creole mustard
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons horseradish, prepared
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup oil
1 1/2 ounces paprika
Jumbo shrimp, boiled and peeled

Place celery, green onions, parsley, and onion in a food processor and mince. Add ketchup, tomato puree, mustard, red wine vinegar, horseradish, Worcestershire, and oil to the vegetables. Mix all ingredients in the food processor, adding paprika last. Allow the sauce to stand refrigerated 6 to 8 hours and taste again before serving. Adjust horseradish, if necessary. Evenly coat shrimp with sauce in mixing bowl, and serve on a bed of lettuce. Serves 12.

This recipe is from our book Louisiana's Best Restaurant Recipes. Go to my free recipe page for a printable copy of the recipe. Enjoy!

Time to get thawing!

2009-11-23T09:24:00.002-06:00

Today's the day to start thawing your frozen turkey for Thanksgiving. The standard thawing time (in the refrigerator) is one day for every 4 pounds of turkey. That means you'll need 3 days for the average 12-pound bird. That's today!

Place the unopened turkey on a pan -- to catch any juices -- in your refrigerator breast side up.

The people from Butterball can give you some other tips for handling and preparing a frozen turkey if you need to thaw it more quicly.

You can go to the free recipe page on our website if you'd like a great, traditional recipe for roast turkey.

Recipe Hall of Fame Quick & Easy Cookbook: a nice review

2009-11-20T08:19:00.000-06:00

I was browsing around yesterday and happened upon this review by the blogger "Pork Steak". It was one of our books! It's always so enjoyable to get to hear from our readers and see which recipes they like and how they work for them.

She had used the Recipe Hall of Fame Quick and Easy Cookbook to prepare Chili Soup, Easy Brown Rice, Beef Stew, a Baked Rice dish. Thank you, Pork Steak, for your nice comments.

Click here if you'd like to read the review .

Quail Ridge Press Hurt Book Sale 8 am until 8 pm, Nov 12th & 13th

2009-11-10T08:20:00.015-06:00

All of us at Quail Ridge Press are hurrying around getting set up for the big sale we have this Thursday and Friday. We've literally got thousands of 'hurt books' that we'll be offering garage-sale-style during this week's Warehouse Sale.

We only do this once a year: we clean out and make room for the new books we'll have coming in. It's a lot of fun and it's one of the few times of year we get to meet and talk to so many of our readers!

If you're close to the Jackson, MS area, plan to come by and browse through our many long tables of books. We're dropping the prices as much as 90% on some books and there will be a whole table of $1.00 books.

We'll be open from 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. on both Thursday (Nov. 12th) and Friday (Nov. 13th)

On our website, we've put up a map to Quail Ridge Press that you can print off and bring with you.

And if you need more

information, just check out our Warehouse Sale page.

Hope to see you there!

~Gwen

Here's a look at what we consider a hurt book. There are no major flaws and no pages missing. Usually it's just a little scuff or scratch that keeps it from being considered brand new.

SPECIAL TV APPEARANCE!
Barbara will be appearing on WLBT's Midday Mississippi at 12:30 p.m. this Wednesday, November 11th to spread the word about our Hurt Book Warehouse Sale.

"What am I going to do with all this deer meat?"

2009-10-30T08:27:00.006-05:00

I'm asked that question a lot this time of year, especially from the wives of hunters. Well, this week I've got a good answer: The Complete Venison Cookbook

Now, I didn't write this cookbook. It's written by a deer-meat expert, Harold Webster, and it's the perfect gift for anyone who loves venison -- or loves someone who loves venison! Besides 700 venison recipes and 250 side dish recipes, Harold walks you through how to harvest and prepare your meat so it isn't dry, tough or strong tasting.

Quail Ridge Press has this 420-page book marked down to just $15.00 until November, so if you're interested in a little early Christmas gift, click here to take a look at this unique book.

Here's a recipe from the book that I'd like to share so you can try this out at home.

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Savory Venison Stew

2 lbs. venison, cubed
2 Tbsp. bacon fat
4 cups boiling water
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
dash of allspice or cloves
1 tsp. sugar
6 carrots, diced
1 lb. small yellow onions
2 cups potatoes, diced
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Cut the venison in 1 1/2 inch cubes and brown in fat in a large cast iron skillet. Add the boiling water, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaves, salt, pepper, paprika, allspice and sugar, and simmer for 2 hours. Add the carrots, onions and potatoes and cook until the vegetables are done. Serves 4.

Enjoy!

~Gwen

Barbara's going on QVC tomorrow!

2009-10-26T09:31:00.009-05:00

Barbara has been invited to make another appearance on QVC tomorrow: on the program "QVC This Morning" (Tuesday, October 27th)

She'll be on at 7:00 a.m. Eastern (6:00 a.m. Central) featuring our brand new book "Fast & Fabulous Soups, Salads and Sandwiches". If you're up that early, grab your morning coffee and tune in. Or better yet, phone in and talk to her!

A photo from the last time she was on QVC in August of this year.

Let the kids help with this fun Halloween recipe.

2009-10-25T08:14:00.000-05:00

As you get ready for parties or trick-or-treaters this weekend, try these delicious pumpkin muffins. They're moist and so quick to make!

Halloween Pumpkin Muffins

1 (18 1/4-ounce) box spice cake mix

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin

1/4 cup water

1 (15-ounce) can cream cheese frosting

Halloween candies for decorations

Mix cake mix, pumpkin, and water well (no oil or eggs necessary). Line 24 muffin pans with cupcake liners and fill each 2/3 full. Bake in 350 degree oven 18—22 minutes. Remove and let cool. Frost with cream cheese frosting, and decorate with Halloween candies, if desired.

You can put a few drops of yellow and red food coloring in the frosting to make it orange.

(From Fast & Fabulous Party Foods and Appetizers, page 258)

A great start for a brand new book

2009-10-07T08:22:00.007-05:00

Our new book is back from the printers and Sunday QVC invited me to show it off on the In The Kitchen show with my friend David Venable.

It's called Fast & Fabulous Soups, Salads and Sandwiches.

We prepared a whole spread of food from the book and David sampled a good bit of all of it.

Here's a variation on the traditional pulled pork sandwich that we call "Juicy Pig Hoagies" (p. 173). It's delicious alone, but I like to serve it with Southwestern Salsa Coleslaw right on the bun.

(I've put this recipe on my website. If you'd like a copy, just click here.)

We're so excited to get to debut this third 'Fast & Fabulous' cookbook on QVC.

We put more color photographs in this cookbook. Here David shows the page featuring Craisin Carrot Tea Sandwiches (pg. 145) and Mini Crab Melts (pg 163).

We had such a good time that they've asked us to come back!

So if you get a chance, tune in Friday, Oct 9th at 3 pm (Eastern) on QVC's "By Popular Demand" show.

Better yet, give QVC a call and maybe I'll get to talk to you on air!

Here's the new book. It's only available on QVC right now.

~ Gwen

Barbara Moseley's turn on QVC

2009-09-28T13:01:00.012-05:00

We love visiting QVC and getting to see the beautiful Pennsylvania countryside. However, recently it was Barbara who was in front of the cameras instead of me.

She was featured on QVC's Smart Cooking show with our new book 500 Fast & Fabulous 5-Ingredient Recipes.

She says this is her favorite part....makeup!

You can watch the video of it on QVC's website. Just click on the word "Video" above the photo of our 5-Ingredients book.

I wanted to give you a recipe that was featured on that last QVC segment: Malted Milk Ball Pie. You can see it here in the very lower left corner of the screen. It's just heavenly!

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Malted Milk Ball Pie

1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened
2 cups crushed malted milk balls, divided
1 (9-inch) graham cracker crust
1/3 cup marshmallow creme
1 (8-ounce) carton frozen Cool Whip, thawed

Mix ice cream and 3/4 cup crushed malted milk balls. Spread into crust. Freeze.

Combine marshmallow creme, 3/4 cup crushed malted milk balls, and whipped topping. Spread over frozen ice cream mixture. Freeze again.

Just before serving, top with remaining 1/2 cup crushed malted milk balls. This is absolutely fabulous!

{Recipe from: 500 Fast & Fabulous 5-Ingredient Recipes, page 255.}

Book signing at Everyday Gardener in Jackson

2009-09-14T21:09:00.004-05:00

This Thursday Patty Roper is going to be signing copies of her new book, Easy Parties and Wedding Celebrations, at The Everyday Gardener in the Fondren area of Jackson. She'll be there from noon until 3:00 p.m. Thursday, September 17.

View their website at EverydayGardener.com

The address is 2905 Old Canton Road, Jackson, MS. If you're out that way please stop by and say hello. (For directions or questions, you can reach the store at 601-981-0273)

Cooking at the library?

2009-08-26T13:11:00.018-05:00

Our own Melinda Burnham, from Quail Ridge Press, was the featured speaker at the Pearl Library on Friday, August 28th for their "Brown Bag Lunch" series, sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

Over 30 people stopped by over the lunch hour to watch as Melinda prepared several dishes -- and gave out delicious samples.

All the recipes for her cooking demonstration came from the books 500 Fast & Fabulous 5-Ingredient Recipes and Fast & Fabulous Party Foods and Appetizers. She showed the audience how easy it is to cook great food without spending a lot of time or money.

Thanks, Melinda, for a great presentation!

At Patty Roper's book signing in Madison

2009-08-24T11:34:00.007-05:00

We went out to Patty Roper's book signing in Madison on Saturday. The new Everyday Gourmet store is so nice and has everything you'd ever need in your kitchen. It also connects to the adjacent Viking Cooking School, which is also very impressive.

All of the food I sampled was just wonderful. Patty had baked several of the recipes from her new book, including some delicate pink Parisan Macaroons (pg. 69) and Spicy Cheese Hearts (pg. 137).

Patty was set up in the front of Everyday Gourmet, just to the right as you entered the store. It was a beautiful day and sunlight just flooded the store's oversized windows.

Patty also displayed samples of some of the tablescapes she designed for parties. The one closest to you in this photo is from a Tie The Knot Party, a get-together for groomsmen where she decorates each place setting with mens ties. How adorable!

Barney and our granddaughter sample some of the delicious cookies.

Here I am with Patty Roper (center) and Marlana Walters (left) one of the owners of The Everyday Gourmet store where the signing was held.

Book Signing Aug 22 at Everyday Gourmet in Madison, MS

2009-08-14T12:31:00.003-05:00

If you're close to the Jackson metro area, I hope you'll make plans to come by The Everyday Gourmet's grand opening of their new Madison, MS store on Saturday, August 22nd.

One of our authors, Patty Roper, will be there signing copies of Easy Parties and Wedding Celebrations from 10 a.m. till 4 p.m. You'll get to sample some of the party food from her book as well as see her ingenious ideas for elegant-but-affordable table decorations.

I'm going to stop by while she's there. I hope you will, too!

AUGUST 22, 2009

10 am ~ 4 pm

The Everyday Gourmet (New Location)

1107 Highland Colony Parkway

Madison, MS

Come meet Patty Roper, editor of Mississippi Magazine and author of 4 popular books on entertaining, including Easy Parties and Wedding Celebrations.

Happy Birthday Mary Beth! And thanks for a great show.

2009-08-12T11:15:00.008-05:00

Barbara Moseley, Patty Roper and I are in Pennsylvania today for QVC's special two-hour program My Time With Mary Beth: A 50th Birthday Celebration. We showcased our new book Easy Parties and Wedding Celebrations and had the best time seeing -- and tasting -- all the wonderful foods that go along with the book's party themes.

This was our national debut for this lovely new book.

Calla Lilly Sandwiches made with bread rounds and cream cheese filling.

Here's a cute and easy little puppy dog cake that's made with two cupcakes.

Easy miniature wedding cakes for each party guest.

So many great ideas for party food. So little time!

Like to watch the video?
Click below to go to QVC.

Select the tab marked "Video".
Then click on "On Air Presentation".

'Easy Parties' to make its debut on QVC

2009-08-05T08:57:00.030-05:00

(Click here to read more)

Be sure to watch QVC on Wednesday, August 12 at 9:00 am Eastern/ 8:00 am Central.

I'll be on the program "My Time With Mary Beth" to offer Easy Parties and Wedding Celebrations, a brand-new cookbook written by Patty Roper and published by our company, Quail Ridge Press.

This lovely full-color how-to book on entertaining takes you step by step through hosting a whirlwind season of social events from a poolside brunch or holiday dinner party, to a bridal shower or at-home wedding reception.

Inside are 30 complete party plans with more than 250 recipes, stunning full-color photographs, and easy-to-follow directions for creating striking table decorations, giftwrapping, and party invitations—all made with simple, everyday materials.

Patty Roper is the editor of Mississippi Magazine and authors the popular "Easy Does It' column. She'll be with me at QVC and may get to say hello on the air.

Hope you can tune in and watch!

~ Gwen

Did you see this month's Quail Ridge Press newsletter?

2009-08-01T11:34:00.012-05:00

Every month, Barbara and I write a newsletter to send out to all our friends. We usually put in a new recipe or two, along with some special prices on one of our books. For August we've got a special $10 cookbook offer for book 500 Fast & Fabulous 5-Ingredient Recipes.

If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, you can get your name on the list by clicking here.

~ Gwen

A Visit to Dancing Rabbit Press in Philadelphia, MS

2009-07-24T13:04:00.000-05:00

Quail Ridge Press has just released a new book, Chief, on Chief Phillip Martin, whose fascinating book tells his life story and of the 28 years he was Chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. His book signing in Philadelphia, MS last month had people lined up all around the store and out the door!

The Dancing Rabbit Press Gallery bookstore was filled to capacity. Chief Martin is pictured here with his wife, Indian Princess Bonnie Kate Bell.

Here I am with Harold Keys, who wrote the foreward to Chief Martin's autobiography.

A nice article in The Compass Magazine

2009-07-10T00:17:00.014-05:00

We were recently visited in our offices by Rainey Scott of The Compass Magazine, which publishes editions in Brandon and Flowood, MS. We are one of the sponsors of a recipe contest they are running monthly during 2009.

One of the prizes that winners recieve is a complete set of our Recipe Hall of Fame Cookbooks.

Rainey spent an hour interviewing Barbara and myself about our 'Cookbook Ladies' story and then took a few photos of the food we had prepared from our 500 Fast and Fabulous 5-Ingredient Recipes Cookbook. We knew about the article he was writing. What we didn't know is that WE were on the cover of the July/August edition.

What a nice surprise. Thank you Rainey! If you'd like to take a look at the whole article, just click here.

L to R: Gwen McKee, Rainey Scott, Barbara Moseley

By the way, if you live in our area, look for The Brandon Compass or The Flowood Compass at many of the nicer restaurants and business around town. Click here to see their website.

~ Gwen

Shooting photos in my kitchen at home

2009-06-30T10:20:00.001-05:00

As we speak, Barbara and I are working on a new cookbook we're calling Fast and Fabulous Soups, Salads, and Sandwiches which will be the cookbook to follow up Fast and Fabulous Party Foods and Appetizers in our newest series. It will also be our first one to have a color-photo section.

So last week I flew my QVC food stylist, Bobbi Cappelli, down here to Mississippi to lend her talents and expertise. We set up shop in my own house in Brandon.

What fun! After all, the book is made up of recipes from real people -- so why not take the photos in a real home kitchen?

We shopped and cooked and arranged and photographed for the three days she was here. There was hardly any counter space left in my kitchen with all the fixin' goin' on!

Photographer Greg Campbell (above left) and our production designer Cyndi Clark (below right) arranged the shots while Bobbi (above right) styled the food, and Barbara and I were the su-chefs and gophers.

Believe me, there was a whole lotta work and coordination going on in my kitchen. The best part was sitting down to eat the props!

The book will be introduced by QVC sometime in early fall. I'll put a picture of the cover on here as soon as I get it.

~Gwen

A middle-of-the-night feast

2009-06-20T23:42:00.009-05:00

Did any of you night owls out there happen to catch us on QVC yesterday?Marie Louise Kier appeared as the guest host to promote our book 500 Fast & Fabulous 5-Star 5-Ingredient Recipes for a segment of Kitchen Ideas...at 3 am EST! They showed so many of our favorite dishes from the book, including Oriental Chicken Wings, (page 173).

~Gwen

On QVC with Patti LaBelle

2009-06-12T20:48:00.002-05:00

In May of 2003, I was privileged to be on the same QVC show with Patti LaBelle. We became instant friends! She had a cookbook that addressed her diebetic condition, and mine, of course, was anything but.

In her private green room after the show (with her bodyguard and assistant), we had a lovely visit and talked a lot about our cookbooks and recipes, exchanging books, autographs, and samplings from our tables.

What a neat lady! She was so upbeat and happy and just downright fun to be around. I treasure that time.

~Gwen

Save the Date: QVC on June 12th!

2009-05-29T00:03:00.006-05:00

I just got word that I'm scheduled to return to do another show for QVC on Friday, June 12th.
I'll be part of the "Kitchen Ideas" show that will run live at 7:00 pm Eastern/ 6:00 pm Central.

We'll be featuring the 500 Fast & Fabulous Five-Ingredient Recipes cookbook, where every single recipe only requires 5 simple ingredients.

Hope you can tune in and join us. Better yet, if you're already enjoying the book, why not plan to phone in and we'll talk live!

~Gwen

Fun in Florence!

2009-05-13T08:02:00.000-05:00

Here's a picture of Barbara, me and Mama Jean Harrison, Barbara's mother,

who claims me as her adopted daughter! She is almost 92, still plays golf, and is remarkable!

When Barbara and I were asked to speak at the Florence Baptist Church on May 12th for Ladies Night Out, I had no idea it was such a big occasion! About 250 people attended the banquet and were seated around some 14 decorated tables, each one carrying out a specific theme.

The hostess who "chaired" a table, had gifts for all who sat there. There were games and door prizes and so many lovely ladies having a really good time around a delicious, beautifully prepared and served dinner.

Barbara and I told them about our working together,our travels and experiences on the road, our QVC world, and that it's never to late to follow your star...we didn't start out till we were almost 40!

We had them laughing with us at our adventures that sometimes went awry. It was a lovely evening.

~ Gwen

Speaking at Ladies Night Out

2009-05-11T21:48:00.002-05:00

Barbara and I are excited about our upcoming speaking engagement tomorrow night. We're appearing at the Ladies Night Out Banquet starting at 6:30 p.m. May 12th at First Baptist Church of Florence, MS. If any of you are close enough to join us, the event includes dinner, music and....us.....for one small $10 ticket price. You can call (601) 845-7578 for ticket information, child care arrangements or directions. We'd love to see you there!

Looking back with Paula Deen

2009-04-30T21:31:00.003-05:00

These photos were taken on Sunday, Feb. 17, 2008, when we were once again on the same show as Paula Deen (In the Kitchen). We had a chance to visit and pal around a bit. I took photos of her with people who asked me to (I always have my camera with me... and emailed their pictures to them).

Barbara and I met Paula probably 10 years ago when we came to QVC for Cookbook Corners. I remember her preparing her food herself and getting so stressed trying to get it all done before air time. I had just given up doing it myself and recommended to her that she go with a stylist. Talented Bobbi Cappelli did mine, and soon after did Paula's as well. We both were grateful for not having the stress of all the preparation it takes to have everything ready for a live show. (A Thanksgiving dinner is much easier by comparison!)

Paula is just as down to earth as she appears on her shows, always laughing through those blue, blue eyes, and fun to be around. I ask how she is coping with so much going on, and she replies that she is enjoying it and has people who plan everything out for her. She got where she is by working very hard through some tough times. I admire her very much. You go, girl!

~ Gwen

Great Crockpot recipe for roast

2009-04-21T17:34:00.002-05:00

Here's a super quick and easy way to make a roast that is juicy and delicious.

This is from page 139 of "Fast and Fabulous 5-Ingredient Recipies". I think slow cookers are a great way to save time but still come home to a meal ready to eat!

A mention on You Tube

2009-04-13T11:28:00.004-05:00

Came across this quick video by PrincessDiana161 on You Tube. She recommended the new Five Ingredients book to her followers. How nice! (Click on the photo if you'd like to see it)

At the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival

2009-04-06T09:57:00.017-05:00

What's more fun than a small town festival?

Barney and I went to the Ponchatoula, Louisiana Strawberry Festival last weekend, mainly to see our two cousins (91 and 89 years young) who were the Grand Marshals of the parade.

Barney's brother Larry drove with these two lovely ladies in a 1921 coupe...about the same vintage as its celebrity occupants. Had so much fun visiting with all the relatives who came to pay homage to Lou and Joy.

The best strawberry shortcake on the planet was so good. I ate some before lunch...and some more afterward! I'm working on mastering Joy's original recipe with a flat of delicious little sweet Louisiana strawberries that we brought home. Here's a photo of another cake made for the occasion by a cousin, delicious as well.

Ray and Elizabeth Deselms were there...these newlyweds were highlighted in our popular Best of the Best from Air Force Families Cookbook that includes a recipe and story of their wedding day...another fun family affair.

She requested more books...like the shortcake, you just can't have enough of a good thing!

~ Gwen

March 15th: On QVC with David & Jill.

2009-03-17T12:44:00.003-05:00

Quick trip back to QVC to show some of the recipes in the new Deep South book. Let's just say the original "Death By Chocolate" was very well received by hosts David Venableand Jill Bauer.

~ Gwen

Here's the recipe

2009-03-17T09:46:00.009-05:00

(Click on the recipe card to enlarge it).

This great recipe is from The Recipe Hall of Fame Cookbook. It was contributed by Covered Bridge Neighbors Cookbook (Missouri).

Snow vs. Southern driver

2009-03-02T23:00:00.003-06:00

When we got to Studio Park before 11 pm, the snow had just started to flutter a bit; when we left at 2 am, this is what we saw!

There was no scraper in the rental car, so Betsy and Nancy got umbrella wrappers from a stand in the QVC foyer to shield their hands and arms, found a piece of cardboard, and scraped the snow enough for me to see.

It was a harrowing drive back to our hotel for this Southern driver, but thankfully, not far.

~ Gwen

Backstage at QVC with Joan Rivers

2009-03-01T00:30:00.002-06:00

Joan Rivers was so sweet and gracious to come and let us take her picture with us.

Along with many other cute and smart women who started their own businesses, we had done a little "Women Entrepreneurs" show teaser before the show began. I felt honored to be in their midst.

~ Gwen

Birds feast in Pennsylvania

2009-02-28T22:26:00.000-06:00

Today we enjoyed an uncrowded Saturday in the Amish countryside not far from Lancaster, PA, where the towns have names like Bird-in-Hand, Paradise, Intercourse.... From many neat farm houses, clothes are hung on high pully lines, some with all theblue trousers, then white shirts as neat as their rows of crops.

My daughter-in-law Betsy and her friend Nancy and I watched an Amish farmer till a long row with his team of horses, turning over the lovely dark soil, and in so doing, unearthing a feast that beckoned an enormous flock of birds. It was amazing to see!

~ Gwen

Meet our new Regional Books for QVC!

2009-02-27T16:13:00.004-06:00

(Click here to see the new books:) Best of the Best Regional Cookbooks from QVC.

It is always exciting to introduce a new cookbook on QVC, and this time is no exception. In fact, it is a real challenge!

By request of people wanting all of the Best of the Best State Cookbooks, we got our heads together and decided to combine states into regions. The first six include The Deep South, East Coast, The Plains, The Southeast, The Midwest, and The Pacific Rim.

It is being offered exclusively from QVC at a lower advanced order price until March 24th at which time The Deep South will be shipped.

The Deep South Cookbook:the first to ship.

Then in April, May, June, and July you get the remaining books one each month. If you stay in the program all the way through, you get the last one, The Pacific Rim, free! And it is shipped with The Midwest in July with no extra shipping!

You can get the series after March 24 at its introductory price.
The remaining regions, The Southwest, South Central, Mountain West, Middle America, Great Lakes, and Northeast, are also in the planning stages for QVC.

~ Gwen

Want to read the whole story?

2009-02-26T11:04:00.001-06:00

We Did It

View more documents from quail.ridge.

Preserving great recipes before they're lost.

2009-02-09T09:57:00.009-06:00

Just a few of the 50 local cookbooks that went into making

the Best of the Best from Louisiana cookbook.

Some are now out of print.

In each state we visited in the 1990s, we searched hard to find and preserve those little recipe gems that were in danger of being lost forever. Often these are the kind of recipes that you'd find tucked away in a modest church cookbook published in a small community.

Junior League cookbooks were also a valuable contributor to the state cookbook series because they are developed by local members and reflect the recipes of their unique city and community.

By gleaning the best recipes and compiling them into a single cookbook, we worked to fulfill our mission: "Preserving America's Food Heritage."

Try these Cherry Cheese Brownie Bars. We loved them!

2009-02-07T15:32:00.009-06:00

If you have trouble reading this size print, just click on the recipe card and you'll be taken to a large size version of the recipe card. This is a wonderful dessert for adults and kids alike. Hope you enjoy it!

~ Barbara

Thank you American Profile for a nice article

2009-02-06T11:18:00.000-06:00

The Cookbook Ladies

View more documents from Gwen Mckee.

Our friend Tupper.

2009-02-05T09:51:00.017-06:00

(Right:) Barbara, artist Tupper England, Gwen. This photo was taken at a book signing for the Louisiana cookbook. We always bring food!

(Left:) A sample cookbook page shows a bit of Tupper's work.

Ever notice all the artwork that is printed

throughout our cookbooks?

That's the work of a talented artist

named Tupper England.

She has worked with us during our

many years collecting recipes and has

illustrated every one of the

cookbooks in the series.

Isn't she great?

~Gwen

Ten states finished!

2009-02-04T08:29:00.004-06:00

By the end of the 1980s we had finished the Best of the Best State Cookbooks for ten states. The road was not always been easy or enjoyable. We had a few car problems and were invariably helped by friendly people ranging from truckers, motorcyclists and the police! We missed turns, became hopelessly lost and sometimes made wonderful cookbook discoveries while we found our way 'back'. In the evening, we studied road maps and consulted local phone directories as we decided where the next day's drive would take us.

Our itinerary sometimes included restaurants, bed-and-breakfast inns, book shops, chambers of commerce, vistors bureaus or anywhere we could talk to the people of the state and find the recipes they really loved to eat.

~Gwen

Flying high over Kentucky

2009-02-02T08:02:00.005-06:00

Gwen & I took our first sea plane ride in the Bluegrass State.

No stewardess on this flight!

Our trusty van still took us to whatever state we were researching at the time. But when we got to Kentucky we took to the air. Well, just for a little while. Paula Cunningham, who owns McClanahan Publishing in Kuttawa, Kentucky treated us to a sea plane ride over the Land Between the Lakes. What an adventure it was!

That night we got a taste of Kentucky Baked Pork Chops, which of course was headed straight for the book.

~ Barbara

Kentucky, Vol. II.

Then and Now

2009-01-28T22:12:00.000-06:00

NOW:

Barbara (L), Gwen (sitting)

THEN: Circa 1982

Gwen (L), Barbara (R)

Have we changed much?
(Don't answer that!)

Fast and fabulous cheese recipe.

2009-01-26T18:22:00.004-06:00

Here's a longstanding favorite of ours.

You'll be surprised how fast it will disappear!

Tracking down great barbeque.

2009-01-25T16:12:00.006-06:00

Gwen McKee (and the infamous van) with Pete Jones, owner of
the famous Skylight Inn in Ayden, North Carolina.

We drove a long way to taste the famous barbeque of Pete Jones, whose Skylight Inn restaurant boasts a replica of the capitol on the roof! It had the delicious flavor of true wood-smoked North Carolina barbeque. Every region truly does have its own distinct flavors. That's the main reason behind having a specialized cookbook for each state.

~ Gwen

(See North Carolina's cookbook)

Eating our way through the South.

2009-01-21T13:22:00.009-06:00

Gwen (L) and Barbara visit Hurricane Mills, Tennessee

Tasting the local fare is one of the best bonuses of a trip through any region in search of great recipes. In Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, we visited Loretta Lynn's Kitchen and found tasty local vittles and recipes for how to fix them.
It had become an interesting, sometimes fascinating,often exhilarating process... and we knew we were hooked on wanting to explore each state and taste their cuisine.

(Best Tennessee Recipes)

Talking to town folk was always fun and informative. Very seldom did anyone just say 'no' to our requests. We would usually be directed to someone else, as in "...Go see Sarah at the drugstore; she has lots of cookbooks..."

~ Barbara

Three states down. Forty-seven to go.

2009-01-21T10:43:00.018-06:00

Gwen drove and Barbara read the map.

Somehow we always got where we were going.

Our early strategy was to concentrate on those neighboring states because they were convenient to get to. These were the days before the Internet. So our normal method of finding local cookbooks was to actually travel throughout the state by car.

The states we concentrated on next:
d Tennessee
d Florida
d Alabama
d Georgia
d Kentucky
d North Carolina
d South Carolina

Gwen usually did the driving and Barbara, with map in lap, the navigating. We stopped at bookstores, gift and kitchen shops, restaurants, bed an breakfasts, chamber of commerce offices, tourist bureaus and any other place that might offer the possibility of discovering a popular local cookbook.
Without fail, in every state, the BEST thing was the people they met and the information they so proudly shared.

~ Gwen

Almost as big as Texas.

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It took four separate trips to fully cover the state of Texas!
We selected 94 cookbooks from one end of the state to the other and chose the 500 most popular recipes to make up the Best of the Best from Texas Cookbook which, at 356 pages, is one of the largest books in our series. Just like the Lone Star state. (How the Texas Cookbook turned out)

By now it was 1985 and we had finished cookbooks for Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.

With these three states under our belts, we now had a mission and a motto:

"Preserving America's Food Heritage"

~ Gwen

Have van will travel.

2009-01-19T10:30:00.034-06:00

We went through four different vans in our cross-country quest for recipes.

We bought them used...and then really put some miles on them.
Photo by Cookie Snyder

I know how it is with my own cookbooks. There are recipes...and then there are recipes. Those are the ones that I highlight: the really good ones that turn out nicely and get lots of compliments.
Well, Gwen and I decided to collect those 'highlighted' recipes from all the cookbooks in a state and publish them in one cookbook.
So Gwen had finished the Mississippi cookbook and now I was on board. We decided to move on to Louisiana. It's right next door and that's Gwen's home state. And finding great recipes in the 'Bayou State' seemed like a slam dunk!

As we set out, we set as our goal to search for recipes that really capture the local flavor...the ones that people really eat. We were also looking for kitchen-friendly recipes that anybody could cook and enjoy. So we packed our bags and headed to Louisiana.

We got a used van and packed it with stacks of boxes, luggage, grocery bags, cooking paraphernalia and headed out to find our recipes.

Talk about a road trip!

The first Louisiana Cookbook.

Since the Louisiana cookbook was published in 1984 it has been reprinted seventeen times. And it remains to this day our #1 best seller of every state in the union.

~ Barbara

Try this at home.

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From: Fast and Fabulous Party Foods and Appetizers, page 141.

Barbara to the rescue.

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Barbara Moseley is my golfing partner and my longtime friend. After putting together the Best of the Best from Mississippi Cookbook, I realized just how much work this business was going to take and that I could use some help.
So I asked Barbara if she would be interested in working with me. I told her I couldn't pay her at first. But we are so much alike and she loves to travel, so she said "When do we leave!"

~ Gwen

A business is born. On my kitchen table.

2009-01-14T12:05:00.004-06:00

I was 37 years old and I had never published a book in my life. Or owned a business, for that matter. But all that soon changed.

At first, I worked alone. I called my new company, Quail Ridge Press, named after the street I lived on at the time. After The Twelve Days of Christmas Cookbook was published, a lot of my friends and family members started asking me to recommend cookbooks. That's when Barney had the idea. "You ought to do a book on the best of the best cookbooks," he said.

(See my first "Best of" cookbook)

So I started gathering up all my favorite local cookbooks and put together the Best of the Best from Mississippi Cookbook. We printed 4,000 copies of it.

It sold out in three weeks. That was 1982 and we knew we were on to something.

~Gwen

It all started with a little red book.

2009-01-13T11:59:00.007-06:00

So how did two housewives from Brandon, Mississippi get started publishing cookbooks?
Well, back in 1978, when I was just about to get my children grown, my husband Barney brought home an idea for a new book. At the time he was the director of the University of Mississippi Press and he had received a little manuscript called The Twelve Days of Christmas Cookbook that two ladies named Ruth Moorman and Lalla Williams had written.
( Take a look at it. )

It seemed like a great idea for a book, but one his scholarly publishing house couldn't publish. When I told him that it's just too clever of an idea to pass up, he said, "Why don't you publish it?" So I decided to give it a try. Crazy, huh?

~ Gwen

List of our Quail Ridge Press Books

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Recipe Hall of Fame Collection

The Recipe Hall of Fame Cookbook (Paper bound)

Recipe Hall of Fame Quick & Easy Cookbook (Paper bound)

Recipe Hall of Fame Dessert Cookbook (Paper bound)

Recipe Hall of Fame Cookbook II (Paper bound)

Recipe Hall of Fame 4-book set (Paper bound)

The Recipe Hall of Fame Cookbook (Comb bound)

Recipe Hall of Fame Quick & Easy Cookbook (Comb bound)

Best of the Best State Cookbook Series

Alabama
Best of the Best from Alabama 2-Cookbook Set

Best of the Best from Alabama Cookbook (All-New Edition)

Cookbooks:

Fast & Fabulous party Foods and Appetizers

500 Fast & Fabulous 5-Ingredient Recipes
The Twelve Days of Christmas Cookbook
The Complete Venison Cookbook
Louisiana's Best Restaurant Recipes
Best of the Best from Calling All Cooks Cookbook

Best of the Best from Bell's Best Cookbook
Telecom Pioneers 2-cookbook set
The Little New Orleans Book
The Little Gumbo Book
The Southern Cook's Handbook
Best of the Best Air Force Cookbook
Fine Dining Mississippi Style
Fine Dining Georgia Style
Fine Dining Tennesseei Style
Fine Dining 3-book set
Hors D'Oeuvres Everybody Loves
Hors D'Oeuvres Everybody Loves II
Smoke in the Mountains: Barbecue
Checkered Flag Cooking
Best of the Best from QVC Cookbook
Best of the Best from America Cookbook
Best of the Best Cook's Essentials Cookbook
Beyond Grits and Gravy
Lite Up Your Life
A Salad a Day
The Little Bean Book

Inspirational Titles

Regional Titles

Alabama

Best of the Best from Calling All Cooks Cookbook

Best of the Best from Alabama Cookbook (All-New Edition)

Best of the Best from Alabama Cookbook (2-book set)

Best of the Best from Alabama Cookbook (Original Edition)

All Over Alabama

Georgia

Best of the Best from Georgia Cookbook (All-New Edition)

Best of the Best from Georgia Cookbook (Original Edition)

Best of the Best from Georgia Cookbook (2-book set)

Fine Dining Georgia Style

Louisiana

Best of the Best from Louisiana Cookbook

Best of the Best from Louisiana Cookbook II

Best of the Best from Louisana Cookbook (2-book set)

The Little New Orleans Book

The Little Gumbo Book

Louisiana Alphabet

Louisiana's Best Restaurant Recipes

Mississippi

Best of the Best from Mississippi Cookbook (All-New Edition)

Best of the Best from Mississippi Cookbook (Original Edition)

Best of the Best from Mississippi Cookbook (2-book set)

Best of the Best from Bell's Best Cookbook

A Decade of Beach Walks

Gary Walters: Delta Dreamin'

Everywhere in Mississippi

From Manhattan to Mississippi

Miriam Weems: Mostly Mississippi

Fine Dining Mississippi Style

The Southern Cook's Handbook

Mississippi Alphabet

Inventing Ott: The Legacy of Arhtur C. Guyton

Somehow:A Miracle of Spiritual Rebirth

Written in the Bricks:A Tour of Fifteen Mississippi Hometowns

Straight Ahead: Memoirs of Governor Bill Waller

Amidst the Fray: Memoirs of Governor William D. Mounger

Ready, Aim, Right!

Mississippi Stories for Young People

Mississippi Mysteries

Following the Water, Working the Land

Roads from the Bottom

Mississippi Mysteries

Tennessee

Best of the Best from Tennessee Cookbook (All-New Edition)

Best of the Best from Tennessee Cookbook (Original Edition)

Best of the Best from Tennessee Cookbook (2-book set)

Fine Dining Tennessee Style

Smoke in the Mountains: Barbecue

Checkered Flag Cooking

Texas

Best of the Best from Texas Cookbook

Best of the Best from Texas Cookbook II

Best of the Best from Texas Cookbook (2-book set)

Texas Alphabet

Texas State Bird Pageant

2-book set:Texas State Bird Pageant and Texas Alphabet

Children's Titles

Laurie Parker Books

The Turtle Saver

Everywhere in Mississippi

Mississippi Alphabet

All Over Alabama

Louisiana Alphabet

Texas Alphabet

Other Children's Books

Anna's Choice

Inventing Ott: The Legacy of Arhtur C. Guyton

The Turtle Saver and other books by Laurie Parker

Cat Hymns

Mississippi Stories for Young People

Texas State Bird Pageant

Meet our Quail Ridge Press Authors
John Bailey

Jo Barksdale

BellSouth AT&T Telephone Pioneers of Mississippi

Jerusha Bosarge

Catherine Carter

Mary Rose Carter

Amanda Gladney Conrad

William D. (Billy) Mounger

Bonnie Carter Travis