Sam Houston Monument Dedication

Under cloudy skies the City of Maryville welcomed The Honorable Doug Overbuy, Senator, State of Tennessee, The Honorable Bob Ramsey, Representative, State of Tennessee, The Honorable Art Swann, Representative, State Of Tennessee, Former Governor Mr. Don Sundqvist, Claude Rost, Penny T. Remick, Nancy Burch, and the Descendants of Sam Houston, Mr Billy Kennedy-Heritage Author and Journalist, Ulster-Scots/Northern Ireland Tourism, Denton Florian-Director, Sam Houston: American Statesman, Soldier, and Pioneer, Steve Cotham-Manager, McClung Historical Collection, Dr Tom Kanon- Author, Tennesseans at War, 1812-1815, Tennesseans for Living History, George Schweitzer-Treasure, East Tennessee Historical Society, Laurie Cockrell-Author, Dr. Duane King-University of Tulsa Vice President for Museum Affairs, James Patton-Walker Co, Texas Historical Commission, Joe Kolb-Texas Flag Park, Dr. Vicki Rozema-Author, Marv House-East Tennessee Historical Society, Donna Coffen-Walker County, Texas Historical Commission, LaJuana Glaze-Samuel Walker Houston Memorial Museum and Cultural Center, Glan Pratt- President, Ulster-Scots Society of the U.S., Mary Nolleti-DAR Tennessee and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian American Legion.

Sam Houston, born March 2, 1793 was an American politician and soldier.  He was the only American to be elected govenor of two States, Tennessee and Texas.

  Sons of the American Revolution

 Sons of the American Revolution

and

Mr.  William "Ed" Harmon

Member Of The Board Of Trustees

Hiwassee College

 The Honorable Tom Taylor

Mayor of the City of Maryville

Lynn Fox
Son Of The Revolution

 Presentation Of Colors

Sons of the American Revolution

 Sons of the American Revolution

 Sons of the American Revolution

 Sam Houston Elementary Choir

Pam Gildrie

 Sam Houston Elementary Choir 

 The Worshipful the Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Ireland

Councillor Thomas Hogg

 Author "The Life & Legacy Of Sam Houston

and

Great-Great Granddaughter of Sam Houston

Unveiling

Artist: Wayne Hyde-Sculptor & David Wright-Painter of American Historical Subject

I would give no thought of what the world

might say of  me, if I could only transmit to

posterity the reputation of an honest man.

                                                                                              -Sam Houston

Nashville

Ghost Ballet

 Bradley's Creamery

If one was shopping for boots, there is no shortage here in Nashville.  

The Johnny Cash Museum

Gateway Bridge

Built in 2014

 Shelby Street Bridge

Constructed in 1909

Tootsie's Orchid Lounge goes back to 1960 when Tootsie Bess purchased a club named Mom's and rechristened it Tootsie's Orchid Lounge.  Tootsie's is located across the alley from the Ryman Auditorium and is a place where country music entertainers and others come to drink and unwind.

Spring is on it's way...

Tropical Gems

Tropical Gems

Makes: 21 cookies using the 1 1/2" diameter cookie scoop

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

Wilton's gel food coloring (optional)

1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus extra for dipping.

1 teaspoon coconut extract

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (measure correctly-spoon & level method)

1 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Instructions:

1.  Using a stand mixer or your hand mixer, cream butter and gel food coloring.  Mixing the food coloring with the butter helps it to blend well.  

2.  Next add powdered sugar, mix until light and fluffy.  

3.  Add coconut extract and slowly add flour and mix until just combined.  

4.  Fold in coconut, beating at low speed, scraping bowl as necessary, until well mixed.

5.  Using a 1 1/2" diameter cookie scoop, scoop out dough and place on parchment lined cookie sheet.  Repeat until all dough is used.  I recommend you chilling the dough for at least 1 hour in the fridge so the cookies stay round when you bake them.  I actually kept them in the fridge, cover tightly with saran wrap over night and baked them the next morning.

6.  Preheat oven to 350', bake cookies on middle rack until bottoms are just slightly tan, barely any coloring.  About 14-15 minutes.   Do not over-bake!

7.  While those are baking scoop some powdered sugar into a bowl or plastic bag.  While cookies are still warm, roll them in the sugar.  Place cookies on cooling rack, once they have cooled completely ( they are little ugly, roll them again in the powdered sugar.)  Now look, beautiful!

8.  Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to one month.

Sweet Surprises

Sweet Surprises

Makes: 25 using the 1 1/2" diameter cookie scoop

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

Wilton's gel food coloring (optional)

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (measure correctly-spoon & level method)

1 cup mini chocolate chips, seems like a lot, but it isn't!!!

Instructions:

1.  Using a stand mixer or your hand mixer, cream butter and gel food coloring.  Mixing the food coloring with the butter helps it to blend well.  

2.  Next add powdered sugar, mix until light and fluffy.  

3.  Add vanilla extract and slowly add flour and mix until just combined.  

4.  Fold in mini chocolate chips, beating at low speed, scraping bowl as necessary, until well mixed.

5.  Using a 1 1/2" diameter cookie scoop, scoop out dough and place on parchment lined cookie sheet.  Repeat until all dough is used.  I recommend you chilling the dough for at least 1 hour in the fridge so the cookies stay round when you bake them.  I actually kept them in the fridge, cover tightly with saran wrap over night and baked them the next morning.

6.  Preheat oven to 350', bake cookies on middle rack until bottoms are just slightly tan, barely any coloring.  About 14-15 minutes.   Do not over-bake!

7.  While those are baking, pour some powdered sugar into a bowl or plastic bag.  While cookies are still warm, roll them in the sugar.  Place cookies on cooling rack, once they have cooled completely ( they are little ugly, roll them again in the powdered sugar.  Now look, beautiful!

8.  Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to one month.

Sophia, the recipient of my Sweet Surprises.

I Can't Stop At Just One Scone

One More Bite

I've never met a scone I didn't like.

  Chocolate, Lemon, Strawberry or White. 

 They're all yummy in my site,
some would agree that yes, I'm right.

One by one the cabi cloths were tried on,

while secretly nibbling on one more scone.

The flowy tops will hide the buldge

for I continue to eat and indulge!

I take one bite,

I want another.

Then I think,

of all that butter.

At the end how many have I eaten,
I have no idea from all the nibbling.

Now my cabi pants are a little tight,
oh well, it's a lifelong fight.

 Triple Chocolate Scones Supreme

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, frozen

1/2 cup + 1 Tablespoon heavy cream

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, coarsly chopped, or you can use mini chocolate chips.

Glaze + Topping

Ingredients:

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 Tablespoons water or black coffee (I did this.)

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400'.  Adjust baking rack to the middle-low position.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.  Grate the frozen butter.  Toss the grated butter into the flour mixture and combine it with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk the cream, egg, and vanilla together.  Drizzle it over the flour mixture and then toss the mixture together with a rubber spatula until everything appears moistened.  Add more heavy cream, t teaspoon at a time, until it comes together, if needed.  Slowly and gently fold in the chopped chocolate.  Try your best to not overwork the dough at any point.  Work the dough into a ball with floured hands as best you can and transfer to scones to prepared baking pan. Press into a neat 8" disc and cut into 8 equal  wedges with a very sharp knife.  Separate the scone and line them on the baking sheet with a little space between each one.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through; use a toothpick to check for doneness.  Remove scones from the oven and allow to cool for just a couple minutes. Place on a cooling rack with paper towels under to catch dripping.   During this time prepare the glaze by whisking the confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and water together until smooth and thin.  Using a pastry brush completely cover each scone until all glaze has been used. The glaze will set after several minutes.  Then melt the 4 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate in the microwave,s tiring until melted.  Drizzle on top of glaze on each scone.
MAKES 8 SCONES
Recipe adapted from: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2014/11/10/triple-chocolate-scones-supreme/

Lemon Cream Scones

Ingredients:

1/3 cup granulated sugar

lemon zest, from one large lemon

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

8 Tablespoons butter, frozen

1 large egg

1/2 cup heavy cream

For the Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed

3 Tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven.

In a medium bowl, combine sugar and lemon zest.  Using your fingertips, mix together.  Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Using largest holes on a box grater, grate frozen butter.  Add to four mixture and mix until it resembles coarse meal.

In a small bow, combine egg and cream and mix well.  Pour into flour mixture.  mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl.  Scrape dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Using hands, shape dough into a ball, making sure to fold in all the loose clumps.

Shape into a 7" circle, approximately 3/4" thick, and cut into 8 equal pieces.  With space between each triangle, place on a parchment covered baking sheet.  Alternatively, you can use a scone pan).  Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until golden.  Allow scones to cool and prepare glaze.

In a small bowl, combine all of the glaze ingredients and whisk until smooth.  Drizzle glaze over cooled scones and allow glaze to harden.

MAKES 8 SCONES.

Recipe from http://www.foodfanatic.com/2015/04/lemon-cream-scones/

cabi

Mama's Coconut-Pineapple Layer Cake

Last night Stone and I had a dinner party.  While I was contemplating on what to prepare for dessert, my favorite part, I told Stone I was undecided.  Should I make Mama's Coconut-Pineapple Layer Cake or my Summer Strawberry-Coconut Cake.  He wanted Mama's Cake!  The only problem, rain was in the forecast for the day of the gathering.  Well, anyone who has made a boiled frosting knows it doesn't take to kindly to humidity.  

Fast forward to the day of the dinner. I called my mama.  I said, "mama I'm making your Coconut-Pineapple Layer Cake and it is supposed to start raining around noon and continue into the night."  Immediately mama says, "that frosting doesn't take to kindly to humidity."  Duh, this I already knew which is why I was calling. I was hoping she would have some advice that would help, and she did.   Mama said, "you need to set the fan on your thermostat to the on position and let it run until after your party"  and "cover the frosted cake, either in a tupperware type container or wrap it in saran wrap."  I did the later since I was covering the cake with coconut, which kept the saran wrap from adhering to the frosting.  Lets just say, as usual, mama was right.  The cake was superb.  The frosting was perfect.  Stone liked it so much that after everyone had left he said, "I think I need to eat another piece of that cake for Debbie," my mama.  And so he did.   

The next day it tasted just as good as the previous night so I sliced it up and Stone took it to the office.  Hmmm, I wonder if he had another piece. I would have which is exactly why I sent it with him.  Otherwise, by the time he came home there would have been nothing but crumbs.

 Mama's Coconut-Pineapple Layer Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup (unsalted) butter

2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs (at room temperature)

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon lemon juice, (not extract)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 1/3 cup flaked sweetened coconut

Directions:

Preheat oven 350'.

In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

In a mixing bowl cream butter.  

Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy and sugar is dissolved.  

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  

Now get the flour, baking powder, and salt combination that you had set aside previously.  Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  Beat on low speed of your mixer just until blended.  Do not over beat at this point.  Stir in lemon juice and vanilla and almond extract.

Pour batter evenly into 3 cake pans that the bottoms of the pans have been lined with parchment paper and have been sprayed with baking spray.  

Bake at 350' for 25 minutes or until cake tests done.  Cool in pans 10 minutes.  Then remove from pans and let begin coolling on a cooling rack

Pineapple Filling

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 (20 ounce) can (crushed pineapple in juice) NOT SYRUP, (undrained) MEANING DO NOT DRAIN!

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:

Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan; add pineapple and butter.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened.  Place 1 layer of cake that is still slightly warm on cake platter.  Spread half of the pineapple filling on cake.  Next place the second layer over that and spread remaining filling over it.  Then place third layer over that and let it cool completely.

Heavenly Frosting

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter

1/2 cup water

4 egg whites, (that have come to room temperature)

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:

In a small saucepan, add the sugar, salt, and cream of tarter.  Stir mixture to combine;  add the water.

Over medium heat, bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly until it is clear.  Now stop stirring, allow the mixture to boil until it reaches the 240' on a candy thermometer.  I used my thermapen which works great!  !    If it begins to form crystals  around the edge of pan, just wash it down with water on a pastry brush.

Remove from heat and set aside.  In a large bowl beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks.  

Once the eggs whites are at a soft peak, begin to slowly pour the boiled sugar mixture into the egg whites.  Pour the mixture along the side of the bowl while beating the two together.

Make sure to pour the sugar mixture in a slow steady stream, beating the frosting the entire time.  Once all the sugar mixture has been added, pour in the almond extract. Beat until the frosting is thick enough to form stiff peaks.

Once the frosting has thickened to for stiff peaks, begin frosting the cake.  Lastly sprinkle coconut on top and sides of cake.  I used more coconut that what recipe calls for.

This frosting has to be cover, otherwise it will not remain fluffy and it will get grainy.  Cover tightly with a tupperware type of container or what I did was cover it really well with saran wrap.  The coconut prevents it from sticking to the frosting.