Thank Heavens for Dale Evans!

“Thank Heavens for Dale Evans
You're everything I ever want to be
Yodel-lay-ee, Yodel-lay-ee
Yodel-lay-ee
Dale Evans made a cowgirl out of me”

These lyrics are from the chorus of a wonderful song that was recorded by the original Dixie Chicks on a CD of the same title. The song was written by Marlie Erwin, Macy, and Lisa Brandenburg. As a small girl, I remember being glued to our small black and white television set watching Dale Evans and Roy Rogers. Dale was my first introduction to a western woman. I loved her outfits and her horse, Buttermilk.

Apparently, Dale brought out the cowgirl in my sister. This was her best cowgirl look and no bad guy would have ever taken her without a fight!

For this tablescape, I decided to honor Dale and the secret cowgirl in all of us!

I found the fun placemats and napkins on the website, Sassy Cook’n.


They reminded me of this vintage photo of Dale Evans.

I used Oneida brown plates with red “Louisa” Biltmore plates on top.

These incredible cowgirl napkin rings were perfect for the place settings.



The brown western-themed Siesta Ware mugs were purchased on eBay.



I like the chunky flatware – I thought the pieces looked like utensils that might have been used for chuck wagon food. Dale Evans’ “G-Gs Salad” and Roy Rogers’ “Chicken and Dumplin’s” (recipes to follow) will be our meal.


Did you know that Dale was married four times, but still managed to have a 51 year marriage to Roy? Did you know that she wrote “Happy Trails”? I sang along with that song at the end of every TV episode – I wonder if you did, too? I found this “Happy Trails” waste basket for the centerpiece on eBay and filled it with greenery and sunflowers.


“Now I play my guitar with the cowgirls
And what I got they never bat an eye
Like Shirley Temple's curls
“Thank heavens for the girls
We'll sing a song to make a cowboy cry
I never got the limo or the diamond
But I got my hat, my boots and my guitar
I'm proud enough to say
I'll always be this way
Like the girl who went and stole Roy Roger's heart”


That is the last verse of “Thank Heavens for Dale Evans”. I did not have my hat and my guitar, but I definitely had my boots in this photo.


I hope this blog has helped you find your inner cowgirl . “Happy trails to you, ‘till we meet again”!

Diane



RECIPES

Dale Evans’ G-Gs Salad

Dale Evans got this recipe from her makeup man, Steve Drum, who was from from Bulgaria. The “G-G” stands for great-grandmother. The salad became her trademark. It is easily multiplied to feed a crowd.

1 clove garlic
1 rounded teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 lemon, cut in half
Leaf oregano
1 medium head romaine lettuce
1 small bunch green onions or scallions, chopped
Extra-virgin cold-pressed olive oil

Using a garlic press, squeeze garlic into the bottom of a wooden bowl. Cover it with salt and sugar. Squeeze juice from lemon into the bowl. Cover with the oregano. Let this stand for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Tear up (do not cut) lettuce into bite-size pieces and drop them on top of ingredients in the bowl. Sprinkle green onions over lettuce. Drizzle olive oil over lettuce, starting in center of bowl and working outward in circles. Toss ingredients from bottom up.

Makes 4 servings.



Roy Rogers’ Chicken and Dumplin’s

Ingredients:
1 chicken
1½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons shortening
¾ cup milk
Dashes of any and all spices you can find in the
kitchen (I use pepper, garlic salt, paprika, onion salt, and celery salt).

Directions:
Place the chicken in a large pot and cover with water. Boil until tender. Reserve the broth. Remove and discard the bones. Return the chicken to the broth. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and shortening. Blend in the milk. Drop dough by spoonful into the hot liquid. Cook, uncovered for 10 minutes, then cover the pot and cook for another 10 minutes.

Servings: 4 to 6


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