Goodness and Trouble

My Mary Margaret can sure cook up a storm when the chips are down. Did you read what she did for the Skagg’s wedding anniversary? With Miguel’s suggestions and much needed help, she baked and decorated that wedding/anniversary cake that wowed everyone.

She has this pattern she always using to decorate wedding cakes; roses and bells tied together with confectionary ribbons. It is every bride’s dream to have a cake that looks like the ones Mary Margaret creates. When people walked into the Fellowship Hall after church today, there were gasps of wonder, then lots of oohs and aahs. Cora cried and Leonard felt he had to kiss her to get her over all the emotion. Which it did when she began to turn red and giggle at his unusual public show of affection.

I do take some of the credit for her cooking expertise as I taught her the basics—which she took to like a duck to White Rock Creek. From then on it was curiosity, research, and a God-given gift to create wonderful dishes. She’s a jewel, that girl is.

I really don’t how she handles all that is going on in her life. She works hard at the Blue Moon but manages to keep a lovely home, nurtures Bethy Rose, keeps Miguel happy (at least his grin seems to say so), and opens the door to her employees, her daughter’s teammates, and the people who work with Miguel at the Sheriff’s Department. I guess I could have done it when I was younger but I do worry about my Mary Margaret just plain burning herself out.

There’s also the fact that she can’t keep her nose clean. It seems to sniff out trouble like a Blue Tick hound dog. That gal will then dig and dig until she finds out too much for her own good and winds up in the shadows of danger. Even Miguel, who has such a sensible head on his shoulders, has no control over Mary Margaret Butler’s determination to draw a permanent line between right and wrong.

She gets mad at me when I remind her that Bess and I only have her best interest at heart when we attempt to slow her down with some secrets of our own. Mary Margaret confesses she is a little bit afraid of the power many believe Bess has and steers as clear of her as she can in a town as small as Harts Corner. Good thing Bess stays to herself most of the time. But when Bess fell and spent a week in bed when she returned from the hospital, Mary Margaret drove out there every afternoon to set out her pills for the next day and deliver a hot supper. She made all of the conjuring woman’s favorite foods, including this salad that can be served as such, or as dessert.

Strawberry Salad

1 (6-oz) pkg. strawberry Jell-O               1 c. chopped walnuts

1 c. crushed pineapple, undrained           1-2/3 boiling water
1 (20-oz) pkg. frozen strawberries          1 (8-oz) sour cream

 Dissolve Jell-O in boiling water. Add frozen berries; stir until berries melt. Add pineapple and nuts. Pour half of mixture into 9X9” pan; refrigerate till firm. Spread sour cream over Jell-O and pour remaining Jell-O over top. Refrigerate until set.   Serves 8 to 10.