Count Your Blessings

I recently had lunch with Carolyn Marley, an incredibly gifted woman from Blowing Rock whose advice to me was so simple, yet profound: “Count your blessings.”

She repeated it numerous times as we spoke of life’s victories, as well as those intermittent disappointments to which none of us are immune. While our paths have crossed a time or two in recent years, this was our first face-to-face encounter since my almost 19 year-old son was named Little Mr. Coverboy America (or something like that) when he was 18-months old at a pageant Carolyn produced at Boone Mall.

I enjoyed hearing about her life’s interesting journey, as she listened to mine, reminding me of my good fortune to have been so richly blessed with wonderful family, friends and an opportunity, such as this, to reach out to others.

You will read more about Carolyn in the near future in All About Women of the High Country magazine, but I couldn’t wait that long to tell you that she is now in another area of entertainment, and with business partner Mary Wright from Lincolnton, owns and operates MC Productions. Together, they share the enviable role of promoting high quality entertainment acts among which is Ryan Pelton, widely regarded as one of the “hottest” Elvis tribute artists alive today. Ryan has performed across the U.S. and four continents with the Las Vegas Production Show “Legends in Concert,” in addition to starring in movies and appearing in commercials as Elvis.
Carolyn told me that Ryan, along with The Imperials, a four-time Grammy Award winning gospel group remembered as Elvis Presley’s back-up band during the “Vegas years,” will bring a spectacular Holiday Elvis Tribute Show (“the gospel side”) to nearby Lincolnton at the Citizen Center on Saturday, Nov. 29 and hopes that all of her friends, as well as Elvis fans, will drive the short distance down the mountain to see the show. For more information about the show or just to reconnect with Carolyn, feel free to call her at (828) 295-3880.

As a life-long Elvis fan, Carolyn has a collection of Elvis’s favorite recipes, which she has agreed to share with us this week. One of the neatest things about Carolyn is she can promote Elvis every day, but leaves no one to question who the real king is in her life – and it ain’t Elvis.

Thank you, Carolyn, for reminding me to count my blessings – and not to forget Elvis.

(From the collection of Are You Hungry Tonight?: Elvis’ Favorite Recipes)

Fried Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich

1 small ripe banana
2 slices white bread
3 Tbsp. peanut butter
2 Tbsp. butter

Mash banana with spoon. Toast bread lightly. Spread peanut butter on one piece of toast and the mashed banana on the other. Fry the sandwich in melted butter until each side is golden brown. Cut diagonally and serve.

Southern Sweet Potato Pie
(Best using fresh, not canned sweet potatoes)

Pastry for 9-inch single crust pie
1/3 cup butter
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
¾ cup light evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 375. In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Stir in eggs. Add sweet potatoes and mix well, then stir in milk, vanilla, cinnamon and salt, making sure all ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Spoon into pie shell and bake for 40 minutes.

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