Author: The Park Wife
The Park Wife is a tribe builder. She is the founder of Arkansas Women Bloggers
(ARWB), an online community designed to gather,grow, and connect bloggers in our state. Stephanie recently launched her company The Women Bloggers
and expanded her state-focused blog communities into Oklahoma, Kansas, Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas. Through ARWB, she holds the popular, smaller niche blog conference Arkansas Women Bloggers Unplugged, submerging
bloggers in an environment that fosters relationships, communication and some
pretty fierce dedication and camaraderie. Considered an old-timer in the blog
world, since 2005 she has written what she hopes is a love letter to her children
on her lifestyle blog, The Park Wife. Raised in the debutante world of Mississippi,
she married her hunky park ranger and moved to Arkansas 15 years ago and has
fallen in love with the state. She loves gardening, porch swings, a beautifully
set table, a delicious meal surrounded by great conversations, their cabin in the
woods and monograming everything that is not nailed down. She is a devoted
wife and fun-loving, homeschool mom to two extraordinarily cool little gentlemen
and is fortunate enough to live on one of Arkansas’s premier state parks.
It’s About the Flavor: The ASU Regional Farmers’ Market {Foodie Friday}
by Anita Stafford
After a long winter of buying food that has been grown hundreds, sometimes thousands, of miles from home, it’s a happy day for me in Northeast Arkansas when the ASU Regional Farmers’ Market opens again for business. The market is located at the corner of Stadium Boulevard and Aggie Road, just across from the beautiful Red Wolves Stadium in in Jonesboro. Produce sold at the market is grown by local farmers, and selection varies with the weather and time of year. In addition to seasonal produce, you can expect to find a variety of plants, honey, jellies, eggs, and baked goods. Shoppers enjoy live music, and there are also children’s activities available.
On my first trip to the ASU Farmers’ Market this year, I was drawn to these appealing jalapeño peppers. As soon as I saw them, I knew I wanted to take home a whole box of them for some weekend appetizers.
The peppers were large and fresh, so I took them home and found an old favorite recipe for Sausage Stuffed Jalapeños.
Sausage Stuffed Jalapeños
1 pound sausage
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 pound large fresh jalapeño peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil; spray lightly with cooking spray. Brown sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, cook until evenly browned; drain grease. In a large bowl, mix the browned sausage, cream cheese, and Parmesan cheese until well blended. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the mixture into each jalapeño half. Arrange stuffed halves on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.
A batch of these little appetizers won’t last long, so grab a couple; just don’t burn your tongue!
I can’t wait to see what’s at the Farmers’ Market next week, the local produce is just so much fresher and tastier, and I’m pretty sure it’s more nutritious too. My taste buds are happy.
I’m Anita, and I blog at Aunt Nubby’s Kitchen where I’m always striving to make my house a welcoming home for friends and family. I’d love for you to visit and check out the recipe index and home organization tips. When the cooking’s done, I also blog about children and family relationships at The Family Dance. Stop in for a visit there too!
Repeat After Me… {Tech Tuesday}
In high school English classes, some of us were given the following guidelines for writing an effective paper: tell us what you’re going to tell us (introduction), then tell us (body) and then tell us what you told us (summary). Sometimes that works, sometimes it does not. On the other hand, many of us were raised by adults who said something to the effect of “Don’t make me say this again…” Hmm. Vexing. Regardless of whether we should depend on repetition or not, it can be a valuable communication tactic. The ever-brilliant marketing guru Seth Godin has a few brief and insightful thoughts on the subject of repetition: http://bit.ly/ZBANZY
Tuesday Tips are not intended to reinvent the wheel and may not always be cutting edge to all of you – we just want to share some of the nifty things we run across on the blogosphere. We’re doing that uppity thing – curating – which in our minds is just a fancy interpretation of the mission of AWB to gather, grow and connect: gather you here, grow your voices and your lovely blogs, and connect you with one another and some helpful tips from time to time. If you run across an item you think would be worth posting, send it with subject “Tips” to beth@arkansaswomenbloggers.com. You can follow our “Tools & Tips” board on Pinterest or #AWBTips on Twitter. Share your fab finds and let us know what you think!
Voulez-vous Parteger? ~ May 12
Italian Cream Cake for Mother’s Day {Foodie Friday}
by Janis and Jennifer Francis
One of the many {many} things I love about food is that you can experience an array of memories around a certain recipe. The smell. The taste. It can all take you back so vividly to a time a place in your memory.
This recipe I am sharing today does just that for my family and me. My maternal grandmother, MeMaw, passed away 7 years ago. While we miss her dearly, especially on special days such as Sunday, her memory is still alive in our hearts and minds, and it is alive in our kitchens when we make some of her special recipes.
Italian Cream Cake was one of her “go-to” dessert recipe. She often made it as birthday cakes for her family and as our dessert for holidays and family gatherings. This was even the recipe you will find next to her name in the church cookbook. You know if it’s “your recipe” in the Baptist cookbook, then it’s a special recipe!
In honor of Mother’s Day Weekend, I thought it would be a special treat to team-up with my mom to make and share my grandmother’s recipe with you all. We got together this past week and made MeMaw’s Italian Cream Cake.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! It would be a great dessert to share at your Mother’s Day celebration this weekend.
Italian Cream Cake
Cake:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
5 egg yolks, beaten
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 egg whites, stiffly beaten
1 can coconut (3 ounces)
1 cup chopped pecans (plus extra for topping)
Icing:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 lb confectioners’ sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
Cream 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup shortening until mixed well. Add in sugar and mix until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time and beat well.Sift in flour and soda; mix well. Add buttermilk and 1 tsp vanilla; mix well.
Fold in egg whites, coconut and 1 cup pecans. Pour into 3 greased and floured 8″ round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until cakes test done. Remove to wire rack to cool.
Combine 1/4 cup butter, cream cheese, vanilla and confectioner’s sugar in a bowl; beat well. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake.
Top cake with chopped pecans.
Jennifer is a wife, a momma of a 4 year old boy and 2 year old girl, and Director of Women’s Ministry at Cross Church Fayetteville.
She and her crew are the family behind TheFrancisFamilyBlog.com, where Jennifer blogs about the crazy daily-happenings of their life. Some of Jennifer’s favorite things (aside from her adorable family) include working out, Sonic Cokes, and cheering on the Hogs in their hometown of Fayetteville.
Janis is a wife, a mom to two grown girls, and “GiGi” to Brody, Jillian Kate and Elliott (arriving this summer). When she isn’t working in the business office of their church, you can find her spending time with her family and grandbabies, or riding around NW Arkansas with her husband in their classic Corvette. Although Janis doesn’t blog, she is an avid blog reader, and especially enjoys reading food and recipe blogs.
The Women Who Have Inspired Me {The Park Wife}
This month’s theme is Women Who Inspire Us. As I sat down to write this, I thought, wow, this will be easy, and then as I stare at the blank page, I wonder how I could ever convey the love, admiration, and thankfulness for the women God has put in my path to teach me, guide me, and love me unconditionally.
So, I will just give you a list and why, then I want to hear about the women that have inspired you.
FOUNDATION
My mother: She molded me, sacrificed for me and is always there for me. She even kept a secret from me for 20 years that I found out recently which answered a lot of questions. It is the reason I am who I am today, the woman who God created me to be. Thankful.
FAITH
Lydia: When I moved to a new state park with a two-year-old and pregnant with our second, I received a call from Lydia. She had seen my husband in the paper announcing his new job and that we had a little boy. Her husband was a preacher at a local church and she said she just wanted to call and welcome us to town. We talked for about an hour about our lives. Before we hung up, Lydia said something to me that I can still hear in my head today. She said, “we would love for you guys to come visit the church, but even if you don’t, I would love to be your friend.”
I was a bit skeptical, yet excited. I am happy to say that she is exactly who her words and actions say she is. She does not live in a “Christian Bubble”, she truly lives her life trying to love others, all people, as Jesus does.
GUIDANCE
Penny is an exceptional wife and mother, she homeschooled her three children and they are all exceptional human beings that love the Lord. I knew nothing about homeschooling, not that it even existed before Penny. Her insights guided me through some very turbulent waters. She provided me with child-rearing skills that have worked and not only am I a better mom because of her but my boys are well-adjusted, happy, loving children that are a pleasure to be around.
HOPE
Laura Hyche was my high school English teacher. She was the kind of teacher that inspired you to read a classic that you had no desire to read. She encouraged me to be on the newspaper staff and gave me the confidence to always try, even when I thought I was not good enough. Thank you Hyche, I am enough and I know that now, thank you for putting me on that path.
LOVE
We met Johnnie (aka Nana) and her husband when we lived on a mountain park and we both worked for an international development non-profit. She became my ” Arkansas mom” and our boys’ Nana. Her gentle, kind spirit permeates all things she does.
COMMUNITY
Yes, my Arkansas Women Bloggers gals. Four years ago, as I sat in rural Arkansas in a bit of a “desert”, I formed this little gathering place, a non-judgmental, encouraging place with the desire to help us be better women, wives, moms, friends, and of course, bloggers. I could not have imagined the beautiful souls that would become some of my dearest in real life friends from this online world. If you have not stepped out of your comfort zone to be a part of this community, I urge you to try, you will be rewarded with the most honest, pure kind of friendships with some pretty cool ladies and some awesome bloggity goodness to boot!
Do you have women who have inspired you? Tell me about them!
The Park Wife
AWBU 2013 Keynote Speaker Announced
Blogger, Author of A Little Salt to Cut the Sweet~ Southern Stories of Faith, Family, and Fifteen Pounds of Bacon (yes, Petit Jean Meats loves that)
With an urge to document the hilarity of family life, Sophie Hudson began writing her blog in November 2005. Since then she has seen her blog readership grow beyond what she would have thought possible. Sophie hopes that through her stories, women find encouragement and hope in the everyday, joy-filled moments of life. In addition to her blog, BooMama.net, Sophie writes on a regular basis for HomeLife magazine and is a regular contributor to the Pioneer Woman’s blog. She also serves as co-emcee for LifeWay’s annual dotMOM event and participates in Compassion International’s blogger initiative. Sophie lives with her husband and son in Birmingham, Alabama. (Official Cool Gal Bio from Tyndale House Publishers)
Go register before all the space is gone at this wonderful conference where we gather, grow, and connect!
Voulez-vous Parteger? ~ May 5
Scarborough Fair Butter {Foodie Friday}
by Marci of Stone Cottage Adventures
As a member of the Herb Society of NWA and as a farmers market vendor selling herbs, people frequently sing Scarborough Fair to me. I’m not really sure why. It is a lovely song, though. Have you heard the song, Scarborough Fair?
“Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme.
Remember me to one who lives there.
For he once was a true love of mine.”
Do you know the herbs listed in that song will create a delicious recipe? A verse should be added about garlic, though, to make the dish complete!
All of these herbs grow either in my garden or in my greenhouse. ‘Not a gardener? No worries! Fresh herbs are available in the produce section of most grocery stores. Try this recipe and your entire family will be singing!
Scarborough Fair Butter
A small handful of fresh parsley
2 Sprigs of Sage, about three inches long
2 Sprigs of Rosemary, about three inches long
1 Sprig of Thyme, about two inches long
1 clove of garlic
1 half cup salted butter, softened
Remove herb leaves from their stems and finely chop. The pieces need to be tiny. Once chopped, the herbs should total about 1/4 cup. Stir the herbs into the butter until well blended. Re-shape and refrigerate. The mixture will need to rest at least overnight before serving.
There are many ways to use the tasty butter. It can be melted over vegetables or used to cook poultry, breads, rice and even cornbread stuffing. Of course, any Arkansas girl knows how to butter a biscuit! ;-)Use Scarborough Fair Butter to make a scrumptious grilled cheese sandwich. Here’s how!
Butter two slices of bread with this yummy concoction. Place one slice of the buttered bread in a hot skillet and top with your favorite cheese. Once that side is toasted, top with the other slice of bread. Flip the sandwich and continue cooking until both slices are toasted and the cheese is melted.
Your family will think you have become a chef!
Are you going to Scarborough Fair? Will you please pick up some chicken and cheese? That song makes me hungry!
Remember to visit my Stone Cottage each week as I give tips on simple ways to bring herbs into your everyday life. Look for the posts titled “A Place to Begin”.
Hello! My name is Marci. Our home is an old rock farmhouse built in the 1930s. There are two greenhouses, a vegetable garden, herbs, several flower beds, lots of hobbies and too many pets. Thankfully, our neighbors love us! They say being our neighbor is like living next door to Old MacDonald and Martha Stewart! My blog is Stone Cottage Adventures . Will you please visit us often?
😉 -Marci
Voulez-vous Parteger? 4/28/13