In 1976, Jimmy Carter was in between jobs: he had just ended a term as governor of Georgia and had not yet become the 39th President of the United States. The US was celebrating the bicentennial and the Plains Jr. Women’s Club in Carter’s hometown of Plains, GA jumped in on the celebration with Plains Pot Pourri – a collection of food favorites from Plains, Georgia.

This is a 6×9 spiral-bound cookbook. It’s in very good condition considering that it is 43 years old. There are some stains, and the sides are worn like someone has thumbed through the cookbook a lot of times. I definitely have!
My copy is also signed by Jimmy Carter’s first cousin – Hugh Carter – who was also a state senator and local businessman in the Plains area.

In taking these photos, I had significant help from Miss Nebula.



This is a charming local cookbook – the kind of cookbook I absolutely love. You just know that people submitted their best recipes – the ones they’re known for.



Like so many cookbooks, this also has cute sayings throughout.



This Peter Paul Mounds Cake caught my attention — and then I googled. I knew about the Mounds Candy Bar (Yum!) but hadn’t realized that Peter Paul referred to Peter Paul Halajian – the founder of the Peter Paul Candy Manufacturing Company.
The cake is chocolate and covered with coconut – swoon!




In 1976 Amy Carter, daughter of soon to be US President Jimmy, was nine. This recipe sounds like it would be a delight for any nine-year-old…and it would make this 50-something year old pretty happy, too.
Puffy Mallow Snowballs
Ingredients
- 2 frozen waffles
- 2/3 cup chocolate ice cream
- 1 cup minature marshmallows
- 2 tablespoons chocolate topping
Instructions
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Toast waffles then cool about 15 minutes. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
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Place 1 scoop of ice cream in the center of each waffle.
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Quickly place the waffles in freezer. Freeze about 1 hour or until the ice cream is firm.
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About 10 minutes before serving, heat oven to 500.
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Just before serving, take one waffle out of the freezer and press 1/2 cup of the marshmallows into the ice cream. Return this waffle to the freezer. Repeat with the second waffle.
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Bake in 500 oven 3 minutes or until the marshmallows are light brown. Watch every minute so you can take them out as soon as they are ready.
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Lift the dessert to two dessert plates with pancake turner. Drizzle 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup over each dessert. Serve right away.
Recipe Notes
The marshmallows and waffles keep the ice cream from melting in the oven.
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