Archives for May 2010

Meeting The Pioneer Woman – Charlotte, NC Book Tour

May 7, 2010 by Amy 25 Comments

OK, so it’s no secret I love P-Dub’s cookbook. And therefore I love P-Dub because she created it all. But really, I loved her long before the cookbook. I was reading The Pioneer Woman when she was still posting Black Heels to Tractor Wheels as blog posts. But as I waxed poetic about the other day, it got a little personal last December when I started cooking. To say I was excited to meet her tonight is a little understatement. Yes, we all know I love celebrity in general but really I felt, with thousands others, that I knew Ree and I just had to tell her in person how appreciative I was. And I did! So here’s how it went down:

This is Joseph-Beth at SouthPark. I didn’t know it existed until tonight.

I met my friend Becky there and we scoped out the bookstore and found the nook where the signing went down. I did a little squee and took a bad picture:

Becky and I then squatted in some chairs and took pictures of ourselves while we began the long wait. We were actually one of the first there and chatted while everyone began to file in. But we got kicked off of the second floor where her talk and signing were going down just before Ree came out. So we went and stood downstairs.

And while we were standing there, all the sudden Ree showed up just a few feet in front of us and went up the stairs. I grabbed Becky’s arm and said, “There she is!” and then snapped another picture.

And then a few minutes later, a very nervous, sweaty (according to her) Ree came to talk to us.

She was her usual, funny, self-deprecating self as you’ll see below.

The Pioneer Woman Charlotte, NC from Amy Bennett on Vimeo.

For the record, I was the one that asked her about the ending to Black Heels to Tractor Wheels. And she wouldn’t budge on any spoilers, darnit!

So the next two hours were spent roaming around the bookstore, chatting with Becky, her mother and her friend (and my new friend) April. Finally, it was Group G’s turn. What happens is you get tickets before the signing and they assign 20 people to each alphabet letter. Each group is called one at a time upstairs so basically you are free to roam until it’s your group’s turn. Which is genius so there are no waiting in lines! So we finally got up there and we got in our group’s line. Ok, so there is one small waiting line. And I was thinking I might either puke or cry when I got up to meet her. I did see a familiar face though. Back in high school days, I worked with that Joseph-Beth worker in the green there, Mrs. Betsy. I babysat her daughter a time or two. It was good to see a familiar face.

So Becky and April were before me but when they were done we wanted to do a group shot but I hadn’t met Ree yet. But when I emerged from the line to get into the picture and Ree saw me, she was all “Amy! Bennett!” And Betsy was all “I know Amy!” And I was all “OMG! Ree knew my name!” She really does read my stalker tweets!

So then it was my turn and as I’m sitting down, Ree announces to Mrs. Betsy that we’re acquaintances and Betsy tells me to sit down because apparently I was nervously still standing up at the table. And then I began to tell her just how much the cookbook changed my life and how appreciative my husband is. Ree had a great smile and was so nice.

So then we took a pretty picture!

I told her I had 8 more recipes to go. And she told me she likes my blog! And I’m thinking, OMG, Ree has been to my blog!

And then Mrs. Betsy thinks to take pictures of us while I tell her how she changed my life and I give her my gift.

I’ll try to ignore my funny faces. She gratefully accepted the gift. If you’re wondering, I decided on local strawberry jam and syrup and a fabric coffee wrap with a “P” on it with another note telling her how much she changed my life. I signed it With buttery and creamy love, Amy. And just as I’m typing this I realized that maybe could be a bad idea.

And then! And then! Ree asked Mrs. Betsy to take a picture of us with her camera. Do you see her Nikon sitting there at the front of the table? Yes that one! Because we’re acquaintances!

At this point I drifted out to the parking lot on Cloud 9. I came home and Scott was so funny because he let out a fan girl squee with me as soon as I walked in. And then I showed off my autographed cookbook. The same one that’s falling apart and have used approximately 52 times.

See that smile? Yep. It was a good night. Love ya, P-Dub! You’re my favorite acquaintance!

Learning to Ride II

May 6, 2010 by Amy 7 Comments

I blogged about us teaching Emma to ride a bike last year. We got her a sorely needed bike for Easter after I posted that but we still weren’t successful. It freaked her out when we took off the training wheels once and couldn’t seem to get her back in the saddle, so to speak.

This Spring has been the Spring of bikes. We got Lexi a new bike because the one passed down last year from Emma was already too small for her. Scott got a new mountain bike. And then I was left out when everyone was out practicing so I got a bike. Many evenings the past few weeks have been spent on bikes. Once Emma took her training wheels off, of course Lexi could not be outdone. They both have been doing great and I’m really hoping this is the summer of full-on bike riding.

Cooking with the Pioneer Woman: Weekly Update

May 5, 2010 by Amy 15 Comments

Hey guess what? In TWO DAYS I get to meet the Pioneer Woman herself at her book signing in Charlotte. PW! 20 minutes away! In 2 Days! I never thought when I started doing all this cooking that I’d actually get to meet her. In those days, all her book tours were out west and I was sure she’d never come East. So glad I was wrong. I can not wait to tell her face to face how she changed my life. And I don’t say that lightly. I do not look at cooking the same way I did 4 months ago.

The other night I had cooked dinner and stuck some of her oatmeal cookies in the oven while we ate. We were eating one of the cookies after dinner and Scott said, “Well, you’re just turning into a regular mommy.” I pretended to take offense to that. But I knew what he meant. I have fond memories of my Mom’s home cooked meals every night and I know he does too. I can’t wait to thank PW in person for helping me create those memories for our girls. And yes, I’m pretty sure I’m going to have a little tear in my eye at the table with her. Gah! I must think of something funny to say! I do want to take her a gift in appreciation. Anyone have a good idea?

Potato Leek Pizza

I should have included this in last week’s but I completely forgot it (probably because I forgot to take a picture )! And I’m so bummed I forgot it because this pizza was super yummy! I’ve never cooked with a leek before. In fact, the only way I knew what it was and how to use it was I saw I think Rachel Ray or Giada or maybe that big guy with the kitchen show on Food Network using one. Obviously my memory is not serving me well. In any case, I wasn’t completely clueless when I chopped the leeks for the pizza. More than just unknown veggies on a pizza though, I was a little concerned about putting uncooked slices of potatoes without any sauce. But alas, I shouldn’t have worried. This was a super yummy, very filling pizza. Scott liked it as well but we both agreed we still like the Tomato Basil one better. The kids always request the traditional pizza when I make one of the “fancy” ones but they tried a bite or two and liked it.

Pico de Gallo and Guacamole

I made the Pico de Gallo and the guacamole together. To make the guacamole, you just stick a bunch of Pico de Gallo in the mashed avacodo and stir it up so it would be kind of impossible to make guacamole without Pico de Gallo. It was comforting to see PW’s post included both as well even though they are very separate recipes in the cookbook. Look! We’re both smart!

With all the Mexican-ness going on, I made some rice and beans and put out some shells and had Mexican the other night for dinner. The Pico de Gallo was alright with chips. I still prefer salsa and/or cheese for my chips. I enjoyed it more as a topping on my taco. As for the guacamole, I usually only eat it as a topping and that I did. It was yummy and I felt very accomplished with homemade guacamole. So bottom line for us, I think these two things are more of a topping than a dip. They were both super easy to make and definitely made our tacos better. You should make some today for Cinco de Mayo! If I was super smart I would have waited!

Comfort Meatballs

We had a family friend over for dinner Saturday night whose family was out of town so I decided to do a PW dinner. I made meatballs and her homemade mashed potatoes and some corn. It was yummy. The meatballs were super easy to cook. The hardest part was browning them before baking them. That is to say, not too hard. I loved the onions in the sauce. The kids loved it, our guest loved it and we loved it. These are definitely going on my rotation list. Also, they went so fast I forgot to take a picture. Head on over to PW’s site and amazingly, they look similar!

Only 8 more recipes I want to make!

American Idol Top 5

May 4, 2010 by Amy 7 Comments

Aaron – He sang it well enough but absolutely no star power from him whatsoever. I felt like we were on Star Search. 3 Stars.

Casey – Yikes, Case. I think that’s gonna put you out this week. Sorry, dude.

Crystal – Well done but not my favorite performance. She looked amazing though.

Mike – That’s my favorite Sinatra song and while he sang it well enough, it didn’t feel like he was singing it with much persona l conviction. I still feel like he’s putting on a show. I want a person’s self laid on the stage.

Lee – Amazing. He was still Lee. He was comfortable on stage. He was current. He had swagger. Yes!

Harry Connick Jr was absolutely amazing with the contestants!

Favorite was Lee and I think Casey is in trouble!

Top Ten Tuesday: Help Tennessee

May 4, 2010 by Amy 20 Comments

I had another post planned today but I can’t seem to make myself publish it. My heart is breaking for those in Tennessee. I simply can not imagine losing everything to a flood. So here’s 10 ways you can help even if you aren’t in the area:

Obviously, if you are able, go in person to help clean up. Cross Point has a relief center and is sending people out to help.
Donate through Cross Point to help their efforts here and mark it as Flood Relief Fund.
Donate volunteer services through Hands On Nashville http://www.hon.org/
Donate money to Hands on Nashville here
Text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 or visit Nashville Red Cross site and donate.
Donate to Second Harvest Food Bank HERE.
Donate to the Salvation Army. Monetary donations are preferred and can be made online HERE or by phone at 1-800-SAL-ARMY.
The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee: In partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management, donate online to the Metro Nashville Disaster Response Fund and/or the Tennessee Emergency Relief Fund HERE (checks can be mailed to P.O. Box 440225, Nashville, TN, 37244)
Clear Channel Cares MidTN Flood Relief RadioThon. Call 1-888-540-5200 to donate
Pray! This is a huge life-changing event for thousands there and even across the country.

Here is a great post listing better opportunities, especially if you are in the Nashville area.

We can’t do everything but all of us can do something!

Review: Plan B

May 3, 2010 by Amy 10 Comments

Plan B. It’s the route your life takes when you were trying to steer it elsewhere. Maybe an unexpected sickness. Divorce. Infertility. Singlehood. Failed Business. Job loss. Death. The moments in which you begin to question who God is and why he moved the Do Not Enter sign where you had firmly placed it.

But Pete Wilson’s book Plan B doesn’t dwell in the despair of Plan B’s. He helps you see that maybe Plan B was the right route after all. In a word, this book is hope. Using stories from the Bible and modern-day experiences, Pete walks the reader through all kind of feelings and perspectives of those living out Plan B.

Can I be honest and say when I picked this book up I wasn’t sure I’d get anything out of it? Not that I doubted Pete’s abilities in the least. I’ve learned a lot from Pete in the past and I knew he’d have a word. I just wasn’t sure if it was one for me. I haven’t had a catastrophic or even alternate event in my life to make me doubt God. But let’s be clear. Plan B is coming. As Matthew Turner says in his review, “if you’re working on plan A, Plan B is a good prerequisite.” But I’d take it further than that. I may not be in Plan B right now, but there are scores of people around me that are. And I can’t tell you the hope the book has given me that I can offer others in need that are in Plan B. God has not forgotten us. There is hope in our Plan B’s.

While reading, I marked several passages and thought I’d share some of my favorite talking points.

For those in Plan B, you may feel like life is spiraling out of control. However, in the chapter Don’t Run Pete explains, “Your dreams may not be happening, and things aren’t turning out the way you expected, but that doesn’t mean your life is spinning out of control. It just means you’re not in control.”
In the chapter Your Jordan, Pete says that in most Plan B situations, it is a lot like standing at side of the Jordan river with the enemy chasing you. It seems impossible to get through alive. The fear can be overwhelming. He asks the reader to identify that Jordan in your life and says that your Jordan always involves fear. The good news is God has gone before us and we shouldn’t be afraid.
From Whiplash, “it’s often a process, not a final destination.” He gives the example of someone not getting the job they interviewed for and the person assuming they’d missed God’s will by not getting it. He says God may simply wanted the person to learn something from the interview. It’s good to remember life is a process and God is in it all.
In the chapter Whiplash, Pete reminds us to trust in the person of God and not in our circumstances.

And my favorite passage of all:

“You’ve got to stop looking at your shattered dreams and your unmet expectations as something God is doing to you. He’s not doing something to you. But he might be doing something through you. He might be doing something in you.”

God wouldn’t let us go through these Plan B’s for no purpose. I always love Beth Moore’s saying, “He’s either doing it for His glory or your benefit.” He’s not torturing us. He doesn’t love us less. But He is allowing it so that we might be transformed.

I can’t recommend this book enough for everyone. If you aren’t in Plan B, I know there is someone you can hand this to you and say, “Here’s some hope.” I’d love to hand this copy to someone here with the gift of hope. Leave a comment on this post and I’ll draw a random winner on Wednesday at 9pm.

Sunday Highlights: Grow: Big Trust

May 2, 2010 by Amy Leave a Comment

This kicks off a new series Grow. Today’s sermon can not be done justice in a few notes. I hope it simply inspires you to listen to the podcast. It truly can be life-changing. I’m so excited about the next few weeks as Chris unpacks these ideas.

We often think maturity is an increase of knowledge or obedience but it is an increase in faith/trust.

Matthew 8:10 Jesus is astonished/amazed at the centurion. Only time in Scripture that is used in a positive light towards another person. The man had great faith.

One thing: It is not what you know or what you do, but who you trust that counts.

Are you trying to impress God or are you trusting God? In one camp, some believe the more we know about God and the Bible, the more we impress God. In another, we have a servant mentality: the more we serve, the more God is impressed.

Adam and Eve failed not because of disobedience but because of lack of trust. When trust is broken, sin soon follows. God is trying to redeem His people – to get them to trust Him again. Trust broke the relationship but trust also reunites it.

If we only grow in our knowledge, we become prideful and arrogant. If we only grow in our obedience, we become judgmental and legalistic.

God is at work building our faith in 5 ways.

Practical teaching. Points out where we are and where we need to be.
Providential relationships. He places you around people to validate and encourage and for a purpose.
Private disciplines. We need alone time to point our hearts towards God
Pivotal circumstances. Will a bad circumstance only be bad or will it be pivotal?
Personal ministry. Enables us to experience Him and trust Him again.

Check out the podcast this week at http://www.northrockhill.com