Come by and see Patty Roper in Holly Springs today.

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

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?

Easy Chicken & Crab Gumbo

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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)

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

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

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

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

(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.

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.

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!