Patty’s Pick: Cream Cheese Pound Cake

by Patty Roper | Photography by Bonnie Dickerson

CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE This is my sister-in-law Rita’s and my daughter Beth’s favorite pound cake. There are several versions of this cake, but this is the recipe that my mother always prepared. It has a sweet, creamy, and smooth texture with a perfect light crust....

PATTY’S PICK: Spring Salad with Sweet Paprika Dressing

by Patty Roper | Photography by Bonnie Dickerson

This is my favorite green salad and dressing. It was Recipe Contest winner in 2008.   Spring Mix Salad with Sweet Paprika Dressing Salad: ½ stick salted butter 1 package ramen noodles, crushed (seasoning packet discarded) 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans 1...

Patty’s Pick: Kitty’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

by Patty Roper

I recently visited my college roommate Kitty Guillory (originally from Tutwiler) in beautiful Colorado, and she served the most amazing chocolate chip cookies made with browned butter. We enjoyed them as we gazed from her glass living room at the beautiful sunset...

PATTY’S PICK: White Chocolate Cake

by Patty Roper

This is one of my favorite cake recipes. Lena Causey, former business manager of the magazine, shared this White Chocolate Cake recipe with me, which is much like one of my late mother’s recipes, only easier. It is so delicious and simple to prepare, made with a mix...

DIY Country French Eggs

by Patty Roper | Photography by Bonnie Dickerson

In my very first entertaining book, Easy Hospitality, published in the ’90s, I described how to create gold- and silver-leaf eggs for elegant Easter tablescapes. I still enjoy displaying those eggs because they are beautiful and timeless. To create the gold- and...

DIY Gold-Leaf Vases

by Patty Roper | Photo by Greg Campbell

Create elegant valentine vases from ordinary clear glass containers of various shapes and sizes. Supplies: Clear glass vases of various sizes and shapes Adhesive sizing Small paintbrushes Gold-leaf sheets Stencil brush Gold-leaf sealer With a paintbrush, paint a heart...