BALL GROUND — The Ball Ground (Anetsa Ga-Da) Garden Club took first place awards recently both nationally and at the state level with the club’s 60th anniversary cookbook published in 2011.

“Heirloom Recipes” features 650 recipes the club calls tried and true, many of them from earlier cookbooks published by the garden club.

The club was founded in 1951, and recipes are included from members who were in the club originally, making the new cookbook a keepsake for Ball Ground residents.

Anetsa Ga-Da means Ball Ground in the Native American Cherokee language.

Anyone who has lived in and around Ball Ground for any length of time will enjoy the book, club members say.

The first cookbook was published in 1977 and the second in 2003.

The club has remained active for the 60 years it has been federated, and participated in a wide variety of club projects from roadside beautification to historic preservation to gardening projects.

The cookbook committee chair for “Heirloom Recipes” was Beverly Chapman Hoag and co-chair was Beth Hall. Cookbook committee member Paula Dean Dorris illustrated the book.

Other committee members included Jennie Dean Byers, Vivian Leslie Little, who also was president of the club, Hazel Pruitt Cochran, Sherry Fisher, Evelyn Foster, Drina Haviland and Myrna Issacs.

“Many thanks to everyone who submitted recipes, those who sold and/or purchased ads, our wonderful cookbook committee, to Morris Press Cookbooks, the publisher who worked with us so well, and to all who have purchased a book from any of the club members,” Foster said in a release.

Cookbooks are available and those interested can email the organization at ballgroundgardenclub@yahoo.com.

The recipes inside will help make any party a success!

Black-eyed

pea and ham dip

Kay Richardson

½ cup country ham, diced

2 (15.8-oz) cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

¾ cup water

1 large tomato, finely chopped

2 green onions, sliced

1 celery rib, finely chopped

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 to 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Cornbread crackers

Saute ham in a lightly greased non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly brown; stir in black-eyed peas and ¾ cup water. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 8 minutes or until liquid is reduced by three-fourths. Partially mash beans with the back of a spoon to desired consistency. Stir together tomatoes, onions, celery, parsley, olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Spoon warm bean mixture into a serving dish and top with tomato mixture. Serve with crackers.

Lemon gingertinis

Vivian Little

2 lemons

1 (2½-inch) piece of ginger, finely minced

¼ cup sugar

1 can frozen lemonade

concentrate

4 cups chilled club soda

1 cup lemon-flavored Vodka

½ cup lemon sorbet

Zest lemons into mixing bowl; add 1/3 cup juice from frozen lemons. Use remaining lemons for slices or garnish. Trim and clean outside of ginger root, then finely mince using a food chopper. Add to lemon juice and lemon zest. Add sugar, mix, cover loosely and microwave 2-3 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Place lemonade into pitcher, pour ginger mixture through strainer into pitcher, discard ginger. Stir, then add club soda and vodka.