Event planner reaches goal with restaurant

“Presentation is everything to me,” said Peggy Buchanan.
“People eat with their eyes first. If it looks good, they are going to eat it,” she said, and she wants everything she is responsible for to be presentable.
On the first day of June, and before her 40th birthday, she reached the last of her three goals–that of opening her own restaurant–something she has always wanted to do.
Southern Tradition is located in the old Sawmill Restaurant location beside the motel, across from Weyerhaeuser in Bruce.

Her first goal was her own event planning business, Beautiful Creations, and the second, an event hall in Houston.
Her interest in event planning began when she was 16 and decorated at Poplar Springs MB Church for a pastor and wife anniversary celebration.
Peggy’s interest in cooking started over 15 years ago in the kitchen with her grandmother, Cora Buchanan. All through the years there was “old-fashioned country cooking” that began with her and great grandmother Lurene Robinson, and cooking with her mother, Shelia Buchanan.

“I would stay up late with my grandmother making Christmas dinners, especially cakes,” said Peggy, and Mrs. Lurene always cooked lunch for the preacher once a month.
She makes chicken and dressing like her grandmother–with everything chopped–eggs, celery, peppers and onions. That’s the way she makes it for Soul Food Sunday at the restaurant.
Her grandmother’s homemade biscuits, with chicken, gravy and rice are another of her favorites.
Peggy has cooked in-store for Mark Goodson, Buck Langford, Bruce BP, and at Nelson’s Soul Food Restaurant.

“I have a lot of favorite foods,” she said, but specifically mentioned hamburger steak and gravy with smothered onions and loaded Ranch potatoes with a roll.
Southern food is what she’s always wanted to serve, so the menu and buffet planning come naturally to her.
Peggy says people like her honey gold wings, real hamburgers, and hamburger steaks with gravy. She also mentioned her banana pudding, which is made with Cool Whip and Eagle Brand milk.
For events, the soul food menu is a top choice, and for parties, it’s meatballs and glazed hot wings.

Mandarin Pineapple Cake
1 box butter cake mix
1 cup oil
4 eggs
1 can mandarin oranges (do not drain)
Mix all ingredients until moist. Do not over beat. Bake 25-30 minute at 350°. Cool completely. Top with the frosting:
1 large container Cool Whip
1-5 1/2 oz. pkg. instant vanilla pudding
1 small can crushed pineapple juice
Mix together and frost the cake.

Peanut Butter Icing
3 boxes powdered sugar
Peanut butter to taste
Butter
Milk
Mix and frost white or yellow cake. (Makes enough for two cakes.)

7-Up Cake
1 box lemon cake mix
1 pgk. lemon instant pudding
4 eggs
1 cup oil
1 can 7-Up
Icing/Filling:
Crushed pineapple
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 stick butter
1 can coconut
1 bottle cherries
Cake: Mix all together and bake at 350° for 25 minutes.
Filling: Mix flour and sugar in boiler, add pineapple with juice, egg yolks and 1 stick butter. Cook until thick. Add coconut and cherries. Pour over cake.