I’ve been a longtime fan of fellow Southern writer Julia Reed, who has expressed her appreciation for how Sister Schubert’s allows her to enjoy the homemade taste of yeast dinner rolls without the work entailed in making them herself.

She mentions our rolls in her 2009 book Ham Biscuits, Hostess Gowns and Other Southern Specialties: An Entertaining Life, which is a collection of her essays on food for the New York Times Magazine. And she was also kind enough to provide a quote for the New York Times article that John T. Edge published about Sister Schubert’s last April.

You can imagine my delight when she asked if I would appear as her guest on her radio show “The Wow Effect”! I agreed at once.

Last Wednesday, we chatted for half an hour about Southern cooking and traditions, including the inspiration for Sister Schubert’s Homemade Rolls and my new book, Cast Your Bread Upon the Waters.

Our conversation airs today (Monday, March 8 ) at 1 p.m. on NPR affiliate Robin Hood Radio in Sharon, Connecticut. If you can’t listen in, you will be able to download the show sometime after it airs.

Until next time,

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Many thanks to everyone who entered Sister Schubert’s Memorable Holiday Moments contest. It was a pleasure to read so many wonderful stories about time well spent with family and friends.

Choosing winners was a real challenge! The judges were impressed by the quality and variety of our more than 3,300 entries. But in the end, a few rolled to the top of the list as the most memorable.

Please join me in applauding our winners!

Heidi Britz of Alpharetta, Ga. won the grand prize for her beautiful story about her son’s simple gratitude on Christmas morning. She won a won a well-deserved vacation for four to Riu Palace Resort in Mexico valued at $5,000. In addition, we will make a donation of $5,000 in her name to her local food bank, and our co-sponsor Meredith Corporation will make a $1,000 donation in her name to Share our Strength, a national organization that works to make sure no kid in America grows up hungry.

Each of our five runners up won a $100 gift card:

• Terry Beck. Mt. Hermon, Calif.
• Gail Dworak, Seaside Heights, N.J.
• Susan Fowler, Allen, Texas
• Kathy Gates, Lawrence, Kan.
• Wanda Ikerd, Grovetown, Ga.

We’ve posted these heartfelt and memorable stories on the SisterSchuberts.com Web site for everyone to read. I’m sure you’ll enjoy them as much as the judges did.

Until next time,

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When I started planning Cast Your Bread Upon the Waters, my goal was to create a reading experience as inviting as a fresh-baked batch of Sister Schubert’s Homemade Rolls.

I love the beautiful design of my cookbook – and apparently, a group of advertising industry judges feels the same way. Earlier this month, the book and Web site won four ADDY awards from the Panama City, Florida chapter of the American Advertising Federation. In addition to a Gold and two Silver ADDY awards, the book was honored with Best of Show for Publication Design.

It’s such a pleasure to show this beautiful book to my loyal customers. I hope to meet many more of you during my book signings in the weeks and months ahead. To see where I’ll be next, please visit www.castyourbreaduponthewaters.com for an updated schedule of appearances.

Until next time,

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As far as anyone can remember, there has always been a Charlotte in each generation of my family.

It’s impossible to express in words the love and gratitude I feel toward my grandmother, mother, sister and oldest daughter – all named Charlotte. In one way or another, these four wonderful women have taught me almost everything I know about baking, homemaking, parenthood and entrepreneurship.

Browsing through a baby name book, I recently discovered that Charlotte is a feminine version of Charles, meaning “little” and “womanly.” That’s a perfect description of our newest Charlotte!

My daughter Charlotte and her husband brought Charlotte Aurelia Willcox to our family on January 23.

Please join me in welcoming “Charlie” as my seventh grandchild. I can’t wait to begin teaching her the family traditions that allow us to share the home-baked taste and quality of Sister Schubert’s Homemade Rolls with millions of families across the country.

Until next time,

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On Valentine’s Day, thoughts inevitably turn to love. From my family, I learned that love is the greatest gift we can give. The more we share our love, the more of it we receive in return.

My parents were married on Valentine’s Day, and they made a point of including all of us children in their anniversary celebrations. As a result, it has become a tradition in my family to exchange Valentine’s Day greetings, cards and small gifts with everyone we love. As you can see in this video, we also create a special box to hold all our Valentine cards.

Another way we mark the day is by sharing a special meal together. With Valentine’s Day falling on a Sunday this year, it’s a great time to try out some special brunch recipes. Your day will be off to a sweet start when you serve Sister’s Cinnamon Bread Pudding or Upside down Banana Pecan French Toast, the grand prize recipe in the Sister Schubert’s On a Roll Recipe Contest.

Sister’s Cinnamon Bread Pudding
Serves 10 – 12
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook/Bake Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 package Sister Schubert’s Cinnamon Rolls
• 8 egg yolks
• 2 eggs
• 1 quart heavy cream
• 1 cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes
• 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup golden raisins
• 1 tablespoon bourbon or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation
Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

Remove rolls from package, cut each roll into quarters and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs with egg yolks until light and fluffy. Add cream, sugar and salt, whisking to combine thoroughly. Flavor custard with bourbon or vanilla extract.

Place rolls into prepared pan and pour custard over rolls.

Dot top of pudding with butter and sprinkle with pecans and raisins.

Cover tightly and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake pudding (uncovered) approximately 55 to 60 minutes or until center is set and top is golden. Allow pudding to rest 5 minutes before serving.

Sister Says: For a more fragrant topping, soak raisins in a few tablespoons of bourbon until rehydrated and plump. The alcohol cooks out during baking, but if you prefer, just soak the raisins in a little vanilla water. This bread pudding bakes up beautifully; golden brown on top, soft and rich inside and brimming with sweet cinnamon flavor.

Upside down Banana Pecan French Toast
By Nadine Mesch
Serves 10
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 packages Sister Schubert’s Wheat Rolls with Honey Butter
• 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• 4 medium, ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 6 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups half and half
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• Maple syrup
• Fresh sliced strawberries

Preparation

Butter bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Slice rolls in half and set aside.

In mixing bowl, combine sugar, butter and corn syrup and mix until smooth. Spread mixture into an even layer in bottom of prepared baking dish. Slice bananas thinly and place over brown sugar mixture. Scatter pecans over bananas. Place sliced rolls atop and sprinkle with cinnamon.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, half and half and vanilla, and pour over rolls.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly, run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen sides and carefully invert pan onto a large platter or slice and serve.

Serve with warm maple syrup and sliced strawberries.

If you’re looking for more menu ideas for special celebrations, check the recipe section of our Web site, or order a copy of Cast Your Bread Upon the Waters.

Until next time,

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One of the reasons I wrote my new book, Cast Your Bread Upon the Waters, was that so many people have asked me to share the story of how I started Sister Schubert’s Homemade Rolls with little more than my grandmother’s recipe for Parker House style yeast rolls and the help of family and friends. I can’t speak personally to everyone who has asked for my “secrets” to success, and writing the book was a way of sharing with everyone who is interested.

Another reason was to raise funds to benefit the non-profit Barnes Family Foundation and Sasha’s Home in Gorlovka, Ukraine, which provides a warm and loving temporary home for 40 of the more than 100,000 abandoned children in Ukraine.

A side benefit is the pleasure I receive from chatting with so many interesting people and hearing about what Sister Schubert’s Homemade Rolls, my story and my family’s recipes have meant to them.

So many people have told me that Sister Schubert’s yeast rolls taste just like the ones they remember their mother, grandmother or aunt making for holiday meals and special occasions. It’s a pleasure knowing that our rolls bring the pleasure of these remembered memories to so many families across the country.

The only difference between Sister Schubert’s rolls and the ones you may remember from childhood is that they go from freezer to table in less than half an hour instead of taking a whole day to bake. I take great pride in knowing our rolls are made with the same quality ingredients that my own grandmother used, including premium flour, butter, fresh milk and eggs – and never any preservatives.

Many thanks to all our loyal customers for your continuing support. I’m looking forward to talking about recipes for cooking, life and success as I continue a schedule of book signings in the weeks and months ahead. Please visit www.castyourbreaduponthewaters.com for an updated schedule of appearances to see where I’ll be next.

Until next time,

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One of the great things about Sister Schubert’s Homemade Rolls is that they stay fresh in your freezer until you’re ready to use them. That means you can quickly and easily prepare a variety of appetizers for your Super Bowl party using Sister Schubert’s Parker House style or Pre-baked Dinner Yeast Rolls as a base ingredient.

By using fewer ingredients in your menu planning, you can also trim your budget – another advantage in today’s economy.

I’m happy to share recipes for a few of my family’s favorite game day appetizers. Enjoy!

Cheddar Rolls

• 1 (8 ounce) package New York sharp Cheddar cheese
• 2 pans thawed Sister Schubert’s Parker House Style Yeast Rolls

Slice cheese crosswise into 16 strips; slice strips in half. Open each roll, and place 1 cheese piece in center; close rolls. Return rolls to pans; cover loosely with Aluminum foil.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve warm.

Yield: 32 rolls

Ham Delights

• ½ cup butter, softened
• 2 Tablespoons prepared mustard
• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1 pound Honey ham, chopped
• 6 ounces grated Swiss cheese
• 4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
• 6 ounces grated sharp Cheddar cheese
• 2 pans thawed Sister Schubert’s Parker House Style Yeast Rolls

Combine first 5 ingredients. Stir in ham and cheeses. Place 1 teaspoon filling in center of each roll. Place back in pan. Cover until ready to eat. Cover rolls with aluminum foil, and heat at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

Yield: two to three dozen rolls

Artichoke & Ham Bruschetta

• (6) Sister Schubert’s Dinner Yeast Rolls (Sliced in half)
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 (6 ½ oz) jars of marinated artichoke hearts, drained
• 4 oz. finely chopped ham (or prosciutto)
• ½ cup red onion chopped, finely
• 2 scallions, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup parmesan shavings
• 1 teaspoon fresh or dried finely chopped basil

Arrange bread in one layer on baking sheet.
Brush the tops with 2 tbls. of olive oil and lightly season with salt & pepper.
Bake in 350 oven until golden and transfer to a rack to cool and then to serving tray.
Cut the artichokes length wise into ¼ inch slices.
Cook the artichokes, ham and red onion in 3 tbls. of oil over moderately high heat until artichokes are golden, about 4 minutes.
Stir in basil and chopped scallions and season to taste with salt & pepper.
Spoon mixture over toast.
Drizzle with Balsamic Vinaigrette and top with Parmesan shavings.

Serve with Marzetti’s Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing!

If you’re looking for other great appetizer recipes, check the recipe section of our Web site, or order a copy of Cast Your Bread Upon the Waters.

Until next time,

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A few months ago, I published an article called “The Blessings of Bread” in Guideposts magazine about the inspiration that led me to start Sister Schubert’s Homemade Rolls.

As a result of the story, nearly 3,000 people from all over the country have visited the Sister Schubert’s Web site, and I wanted to share a few of their comments.

A customer from Savannah, Tennessee wrote about the new Sister Schubert’s Parker House Style Mini Pans.

“Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your story in Guideposts magazine … and, how much we have always enjoyed your rolls. There’s just the two of us, and my husband and I can eat a whole pan by ourselves. However, I just discovered the package that has the two smaller pans in it and now, we don’t feel so bad when we eat a whole pan! That’s a great idea for folks like us!”

The owner of a B&B in Phoenix, Arizona, wrote to share her own Guideposts story. What a nice compliment about the winning recipe in the Sister Schubert’s On a Roll Recipe Contest!

“I have a Bed and Breakfast in Phoenix AZ and here is a story about me: www.guideposts.com/story/honey-house-bed-and-breakfast. I have printed out your recipe for the Upside Down Banana Pecan French toast and I know my guests will love this. Thank you for YOUR dear story and for your recipe.”

A woman from Boulder, Colorado wrote to share the history of Parker House rolls:

“I read your story in Guideposts last evening and would like to try your Parker House rolls. I am from Boston and I believe that is where the name Parker House emanated. There was a hotel and restaurant called the Parker House on Tremont St. in Boston, I believe.”

A warm ‘thank-you’ to everyone who has taken the time to write. I value each and every one of your comments, even though time does not permit me to respond to each message individually.

Until next time,

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I come from a long line of great cooks on both sides of the family. Sister Schubert’s Homemade Rolls owes its existence to the love and patience my grandmother, mother and aunts showed in teaching my siblings and me to cook and bake when we were young.

It wasn’t until I had children of my own that I realized just how much patience was involved. As anyone who’s ever cooked with children knows, it can be a slightly challenging and time-consuming experience.

With three grown daughters and six grandchildren (it could be seven by the time you read this!), I’ve learned a few tricks along the way that I’d like to share:

(1) Begin with something your children enjoy eating. Their excitement about eating the fruits of their labor will keep them focused on the task at hand.

(2) Start with something simple, like a sandwich. When children experience success early on, they naturally want to repeat the experience. This recipe for ham sandwiches has only three ingredients.

Turkey Rolls

• 4 ounces of Orange marmalade
• 12 slices roasted or smoked turkey
• 1 pan thawed Parkerhouse Rolls

Spread small amount of orange marmalade on center of rolls and place slice of turkey on top. Cover until ready to serve.

Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

Yield: 12 to 16 rolls

(3) Children learn by making mistakes. It’s okay to let them crack the eggs even if you have to fish out the shells.

(4) Messes are inevitable. When baking, your children might end up wearing as much flour as they put into the mixing bowl. Cleaning up the mess together presents another teaching opportunity.

As you cook with your children, keep in mind that you are creating memories that both you and they will treasure throughout your lives.

Until next time,

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I’m excited to report that we received an overwhelming response to the Sister Schubert’s Memorable Holiday Moments Contest. More than 3,300 men and women across in the country took the time to share a favorite memory. Each of them received an Internet coupon good for $1 off any variety of Sister Schubert’s Homemade Rolls.

In the first round of judging, a panel from Meredith Corporation selected 100 semi-finalist entries that they judged to be the most heartfelt, most meaningful and best adhering to our “memorable holiday moments” theme.

At the end of the month, I’ll work with a new panel of judges to select the grand prize winner and five runners-up from the semi-finalists, based on the same criteria.

After we verify and notify the winners, we’ll announce the grand prize winner of our fabulous Mexican vacation for four valued at $5,000 – plus a $5,000 donation to the winner’s local food bank. The five first-prize winners will receive $100 gift cards.

It’s a pleasure to read so many wonderful stories about time well spent with family and friends, and I can’t wait to announce our winners. Stay tuned!

Until next time,

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