The mythical, forthcoming, highly anticipated, Buxton Family Cookbook - The Quintessential Collection from Five Generations of Southern Cooks

Dear family and friends,

I am sorry it has taken two years to bring our cookbook to print. I could fill these pages with stories of angst (software program used), loss (I can't find anything in gmail), and camaraderie (I have had a great time working with my family) while putting this labor of love together. You are now thinking, okay, this is it, she if finally finished! Alas, untrue. But, I would like to preview recipes out of the cookbook to give you a little taste of what is to come. I will begin with this fabulous selection from My Mary, a seasonally appropriate recipe for Lemon Cookies. Yum!

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

1⁄2 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar                              

1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

3 teaspoon lemon zest

2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

1⁄4 teaspoon baking powder

1⁄8 teaspoon baking soda

1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour

1⁄2 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease light colored baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whip in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and juice. Scrape sides and mix again. Stir in all dry ingredients slowly until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar. Scrape sides of bowl and mix again briefly. Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies look matte {not melty or shiny}. Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

*If using a non-stick darker baking tray, reduce the baking time by about 2 minutes. Don't over bake!

Cindy Lou's birthday

My day has been awesome so far! First, Google wished me happy birthday!

After breakfast Mike and I set off for the Capitol. It was a brisk 5 minute walk in the splendid Texas sunshine. Mike has never visited the Capitol and was impressed with the dome, the brass hinges in the tall front doors at the entrances, the woodwork around the doorframes and the way his voice echoed from the center of the rotunda. Then we did something we never do; we took a selfie. 

Then we stood at the barricade for two hours to see the swearing in of our new Governor and Lt. Governor. The Texas Longhorn band played all the patriotic favorites and I must find out who sang the National Anthem and God Bless America - he was amazing and must sing professionally somewhere. After a month of rain and  mud, you couldn't have asked for a more perfect day. God really does Bless Texas. 

Easter 2015

I was very blessed to spend Easter Weekend with the Spell family. It started with a trip to Shangri-La in Orange and ended with a very lively Easter Egg Hunt at the "new house" in Orange. I want you to know, the Spell grandchildren take their egg hunting seriously as there are many dollars at stake. Hope you enjoy the pictures - I believe I got some great snapshots. And who could have known, tucked in the middle of Orange, Texas is the beautiful oasis left to us by Lutcher Stark - Shangri-La.

The Easter Lillies were scattered throughout the property and were absolutely beautiful. 

A Lady Slipper

The Epiphyte House smelled fabulous and reminded me of Hawaii. 

Look at the turtles!

Deedle Deedle, ever the compliant one!

And then, the event - dying Easter Eggs and the hunt. Aunt Dee and Aunt Jeanie boiled 72 eggs for the little ones to dye. 

Verle and his trusty dog. 

Bub!

The Whole Gang

And the star of the show!

This photo doesn't show the battle scars Miss Dixie received the day before Easter. She was attacked by a chicken with blue feathers. She will tell you all about it if you ask.