NORA, NORA

I am a huge fan of Anne Rivers Siddons, and NORA ,NORA was not one of her best books. I personally preferred UP ISLAND and PEACHTREE ROAD.  However, still worth the read in my opinion. This was our book selection for June, 2001. Joanne (originally from Michigan)and her co-hostess Debbie H (a true southern belle from Alabama) did themselves proud with their delicious southern cooking. Our menu was fried chicken (of course!), turnip greens, creamed corn, mashed potatoes, biscuits, fried green tomatoes, and for dessert- peach cobbler with ice cream. Can you say carbohydrates?!?! But occasionally, southern girls just gotta do what they gotta do…if you know what I mean.    

Synopsis

"Peyton is not ready to share her widowed father with anyone, let alone a barely remembered cousin who just rolled into town. However, her father seems to like Nora well enough, and prim Aunt Augusta hates her, which raises Nora slightly in Peyton's esteem. Maybe Nora is just what quiet Lytton, Georgia needs this summer.
The whole household is revitalized by Nora's energy, and it looks as if she might stay on forever. But soon it becomes clear that something is troubling her deeply. It has to be something from her past that's bothering her, something she is running from. When the shocking truth comes to light, it stuns the residents of their small segregated town. It also teaches Peyton the enormous cost of loving -- and the necessity of doing it anyway."

Joanne's Creamed Corn

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 (16 oz.) pkg frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese, cubed
1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
3 Tbsp butter, diced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13x9 inch baking dish. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a large saucepan over medium low heat. Mix in sugar and stir until dissolved. Mix in corn and stir to coat. Stir in cream cheese and cook until melted and well blended.
Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with bread crumbs and dot with the 3 Tbsp diced butter. Bake 20-30 minutes, until lightly browned.

Debbie H's Peach Cobbler (also known as "Cup-a, Cup-a, Cup-a". You know, a cupa this and a cupa that! Southern humor...)
(from a recipe given to her by Jaye, who got the recipe from her mother-in-law Naia Goddard. This is how all good recipes are saved through the generations...)

Melt 1 stick butter in whatever you want to cook this in. (Make sure it can go in the oven!)
In a bowl, mix together 1 cup self rising flour, 1 cup milk, and 1 cup sugar. Pour over layer of melted butter, DO NOT STIR.
Dump on top 1 cup of any fruit you want (Debbie used peaches). Again, DO NOT STIR!

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes until browned to your taste. And you have to add a scoop of ice cream when you serve it. Yummy and so easy! (Lindsay, you need to try this...)

Door Prize was a beautiful hydrangea plant...since I forgot to tell you the door prizes for the previous books, here they are:

BACK ROADS- An art book and Ding-Dongs
THE HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG- Tea and a compressor
AT HOME IN MITFORD- Huge flower basket

Now only over-the-top book clubs have door prizes...you have to read the book to understand the reasoning behind each prize so get busy...
The next book we will discuss will be my choice in 2001- THE SAVING GRACES...