"g" is for...

I've made reference before to my irrational unappreciation of the Delta prior to moving there. After graduating from State (and never having lived anywhere other than Starkville), I was offered a job with Viking Range Corporation, a world-wide company in the small Delta town of Greenwood, Mississippi. I admit I didn't know much about Viking or Greenwood before taking the job, but God guided me west on Highway 82 towards a great job and some great people.

If you're not familiar with this formerly sleepy Delta town, I recommend you try it for a great weekend getaway. Stay at The Alluvian, indulge at The Alluvian Spa and feed your appetite for instruction at the Viking Cooking School. And for a small town (or any town, for that matter), you can't beat the restaurants in Greenwood - the famous Crystal Grill, Lusco's prohibition-style dining booths, eclectic Southern cuisine at Delta Fresh Market, the "Delta Casual" atmosphere of Giardina's and Steven's BBQ for the best chocolate cake in town.

Books have always been a big part of my life. My parents read to me from day one, and I began reading early as well. I will never forget road trips with my dad where a new book was always the prize for good behavior, and I still read a great deal today. I was a young adult when I came across one of my most favorite children's books, The Great Alphabet Fight. Super-clever and beautifully illustrated by Joni Eareckson Tada (a quadriplegic who draws and paints with her teeth), this book is a little hard to find, but is completely worth buying if you run across it. If you have small children (or teach them), it's a great addition to your library!

Just realized I haven't introduced this week's Delicious Dish. The instructions are super-simple, and the concept is easy to appreciate as well.

Triple Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches (or whatever kind you want them to be)

1 (17.5-ounce) package chocolate chip cookie mix (I actually used slice and bake)
1 stick butter
1 egg
1 (12-ounce) bag mini chocolate chips (I used rainbow sprinkles, too)
2 pints chocolate chocolate chip ice cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, combine cookie mix, butter, egg, and 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Stir to form dough. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 14 minutes. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet before transferring to wire rack. Cool cookie completely, and then freeze for a minimum of 1 hour before completing ice cream sandwiches as directed.

Soften ice cream on the counter for 10 minutes prior to making sandwiches. Remove cookies from freezer, place a scoop of ice cream on the backside of 1 cookie. Sandwich with another cookie and carefully press together until ice cream reaches the edge of the cookies. Roll edges in remaining chocolate chips. Freeze for 10 minutes, then serve.