First off, can I get a great big Roll Tide?

That’s what I’m talkin’ about! You know you just can’t beat Thanksgiving. Good food, great company, friends, family and, of course, football!

I have not had such a great weekend in all my life. I can’t believe the Tide has done this good. I’m just so proud of them!

Now that Thanksgiving is over, I’ve got tons of parties to throw and attend. I hate going to a party empty handed. A quick treat that I like to take along to a party are date balls. They are fairly inexpensive to make and a quick pick me up at any gathering.

Southern rice krispy date balls

1 stick butter (or margarine)

1 cup sugar

1 pack of chopped dates (8 oz.)

2 cups Rice Krispy cereal

1 tsp. vanilla confectioners sugar (enough to roll balls)

Directions:

Put butter, sugar, and chopped dates in a sauce pan. Cook on medium low heat until dates are melted. This takes about 8 minutes.

Take off heat and stir in Rice Krispies and vanilla.

You can also add a cup of chopped nuts if you like. Pecans are good.

Pour date mixture in a pan and let it cool. You don’t want it totally cold, but you don’t want it so hot it hurts your hands.

Take pieces of the mixture and shape into balls. It helps if you put a little butter on your fingers to do this.

Roll balls in confectioners sugar.

That’s it. Very easy. Very tasty.

These also make the best little Christmas Gifts. I just love these things! I am glad that Thanksgiving is behind us now and we can move onto Christmas! Wow, so much to write and so little space to write it in! I’ll keep ya’ll posted on all the parties going on here at the shop and some neat little decorating tips you can use for your parties at home.

I can’t believe Christmas on the River is here yet again. I know that town will be popping this weekend. I hope everyone is planning on going to art in the park. What a great asset to the City of Demopolis.

I know that we’ll have festivities all week long.

You can’t not come to Christmas on the River and not attend the barbeque cook off. That is such a tradition and a huge part of COTR. I just hope everyone has a good week and be careful out there.

May all of you have a fabulous time!

Until next time, have a good day today and a better day tomorrow.

Note: Jennifer Whaley is the chef and owner of Lemon Grass on Highway 80.