Welcome to Legend's Landing Bed & Breakfast

And welcome to my world...where I do the cooking!

(I also do a little matchmaking on the side, but that's another story for another day.)

I am Suzie Matthews and this is my Web site. It is a world filled with all of the things I love--family, friends and food. The three important F's!

A while back I realized that I was spinning my wheels trying to be someone I wasn't and decided to take a risk to be the person I am. It was a struggle, at first, but I did find my way. My path led me to the purchase of Legend's Landing a few years ago. This wonderful Victorian cottage is perched just back off a cove on Lake Legend, on the eastern side of the small city of Legend, Tennessee. On the other side of the lake is Legend Mountain.

Every evening I share a beautiful view with my family, looking out my back deck over the lake, as the setting sun behind me casts ripples of violet and pink over the shimmering lake waters. I take it all in and feel so fortunate.

Across the lake sits Lake Lodge, a renovated resort lodge and cabins, reminiscent of the glory days of summer lake vacations of the 40's and 50's. Remember the movie Dirty Dancing and the summer camp up in the Catskills? Lake Lodge is sort of like that, today, only modernized a bit. As I look across the lake I can see a few of the dormers of the lodge and some of the back deck. My husband Brad, whom I married after I had LLBB up and going, is the owner and head chef of the Lodge. So between the two of us, we hopefully know how to please our guests.

It was hard work but all worth it. Today, Legend's Landing Bed & Breakfast is booming. It is not a huge operation but just right for what one woman can handle!

So, again, welcome to my little corner of the world. It's small but I always have room for more friends, and I consider you one.

Take a look around my place, slip into some of the rooms, amble about my garden, or take a walk by the lake. When you get back, pour yourself a glass of sweet tea or a cup of cinnamon coffee, and be sure to sample whatever sweets are sitting atop my kitchen island.

Take a deep breath and sigh. You're in Legend and things are easy here.

Want to learn more about me?

How about a stroll through my garden?

Today's Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookies

Although I bake all year long, there is nothing like baking at Christmas time. Even with all of the fancy-schmancy confections Brad and I create during the holidays, nothing beats the simple chocolate chip cookie.

I gurantee you, it's the first cookie to go and I always wished I had baked more.

I spent the afternoon baking Chocolate Chippers . It is a simple recipe but tried and very true. Bake and then just add milk.

Don't you love simple pleasures?

Suzie's Chocolate Chipper Cookies

Preheat oven to 375degreesF

Ingredients

1/2 cup softened Butter (not Margarine)

1/2 cup Crisco Butter-flavored Shortening

1 cup Dark Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Granulated Sugar

2 tsp Vanilla

2 Eggs

2 cups All Purpose Flour

1 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

1 20 oz pkg Jumbo Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips (or regular sized chips)

3/4 cup chopped Walnuts

Directions:

1. Cream together brown sugar, white sugar, butter and Crisco.

2. Add vanilla and both eggs, mix.

3. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt.

4. Add flour mixture a little at a time to sugar/butter mixture and slowly mix.

5. Once all flour is incorporated, add chocolate chips and nuts. Stir in to mixture.

6. Spoon uniform-sized drops of cookie batter onto ungreased cookie sheets.

7. Bake 9-11 minutes, watching for doneness. For chewier cookies, underbake and remove from oven when just turning brown. For crunchy cookies, bake until golden brown. Be sure to keep a close watch, as they can bake quickly.

*Hint. The butter gives the cookies a nice brown color and rich flavor, while the shortening keeps the cookies from baking too quickly and becoming overly crisp and brown. If you prefer very crisp and brown cookies, you may want to use all butter.