Sister Schubert...And A Recipe!

My friend, Kathy, and I went to Spring Park Farmer's Market in Tuscumbia, Alabama this week to see a demonstration by Sister Schubert of the Sister Schubert's Homemade Rolls fame.  We arrived at Spring Park and I told her that I should have brought my camera.  She had hers and volunteered to take pictures, so we have a guest photographer for this post.  The pictures turned out wonderful!

Sister Schubert bakes those fabulous rolls you find in the freezer section of the grocery store that taste like homemade...they don't have that manufactured bread taste.  If I don't make my own rolls, her rolls are always the ones I pick if I'm fixing a meal for guests.

Sister Schubert was very impressive.  Her grandmother taught her how to bake her Everlasting Rolls when she was 12 years old.  She began making them for family gatherings.  She catered for a while and her customers loved her rolls.  The church she attended hosted a frozen food fair and the secretary took order for deliveries during the holidays.  She received an order for 80 pans of rolls that Christmas.  The next year there were 200 orders and the next year the secretary stopped the orders at 300 pans of rolls.  She went around to the local grocery stores inTroy, AL to try to sell her rolls to the public and handed out samples.  The orders started coming in and kept coming.  She soon converted her sun porch into a bakery in 1991, then they moved to a warehouse in 1992.  In 1994 she built her first facility with 25,000 square feet.  By 1998, she had expanded to 80,000 square feet.  In 2000 after much prayer and talk, they sold their stock to another corporation.  She was concerned and wanted to be assured that the quality of her rolls and the name brand would not be changed.  The corporation hired her and her husand to stay on and run the company.  So, she is still running the company without the headaches of the boardroom.  Her title is now Founder and Vice President of Product Development and Manufacturing.  Sister remains happy in the kitchen creating new products for her rolls.  Her rolls can be purchased all across the US today.

She demonstrated her Lemon-Blueberry Trifle and everyone present got a sample.  It was delicious!  Of course, for me, anything with real whipped cream is the best!  The recipe will appear at the end of the post.

I believe her main reason to be in Tuscumbia was to sell her new cookbook.  She had a book signing at Cold Water Books earlier in the day.  She also sold her book and signed copies at Spring Park.  The cookbook is called Sister Schubert:  Cast Your Break Upon The Waters, Recipes for Success, Cooking & Living.  All proceeds from the book go to the Barnes Family Foundation which is a charitable organization that helps food banks and area shelters in their efforts to feed the hungry.  The cookbook contains recipes for all types of food including main dishes, sides and veggies, breakfast dishes, rolls, breads, desserts, and holiday favorites.  You can purchase a cookbook at Sister Schubert's website.  I purchased one and the recipes look fabulous.  I can't wait to try out some of them!

Lemon-Blueberry Trifle

2 pints blueberries, washed and sorted

2 pints strawberries, washed, hulled and cut into bite-sized pieces

Juice of 1 lemon plus 1 tablespoon of grated lemon rind

2/3 cup sugar, divided

1 quart heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 (11 oz) jar lemon curd

1 pan Sister Schubert's Blueberry Rolls, prepared per package directions

Combine berries in a large bowl; sprinkle with 1/3 cup sugar, lemon juice, lemon rind and cornstarch.  Using a large saucepan over medium heat, simmer berry mixture until berries begin to soften and release juice, approximately 3 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

Using large bowl of mixer on high speed, whip cream with 1/3 cup sugar and almond extract until soft peaks form. Do not overbeat.  Using a small bowl, combine a tablespoon of lemon curd with 2 tablespoons of whipped cream, stirring until well combined.  Add remaining lemon curd and combine with whipped cream.  Beat on high speed until somewhat stiffer peaks form and lemon curd is well combined.

Remove Blueberry Rolls from pan and cut into 1-inch pieces.

To Assemble:
Spoon a layer of whipped cream filling into a large glass trifle bowl.  Add a layer of Blueberry Rolls.  Add a layer of berries with juice.  Continue layering until you have used all of the roll pieces and berries with juice.  Finish with a layer of filling.  Cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Yield:  1 large trifle

Sister says:
My family loves this creamy rich dessert.  You may use a china bowl, but then you'll miss the gorgeous colors of the berries with the soft white filling and dark purple Blueberry Rolls.  You will bring a little taste of summer to your table any time you serve it!

It was a wonderful evening to share with a friend.  I'll do another post soon on Spring Park's Farmers Market...one of my favorite farmers markets.  I'll also post the Sister Schubert's recipe for Everlasting Rolls this week.  So stay tuned.

Have a great week!

P. S.  Thank you, Kathy, for going with me and taking pictures!