&160;My daughter Holly and I have this deal worked out where whoever is driving gets the privilege of choosing the radio station in my car. While she listens to several stations I usually stay tuned to a local country station. Recently I switched to a newstalk AM station to try and catch the &uot;Dr. Laura show.&uot; I had heard a lot of controversy over her and thought I would check it out.

It didn’t take me long to see what people were talking about. But here is the part I don’t understand. What I had heard was that people thought she was rude, that they couldn’t believe the things she said to people and got away with.

I may have a different take on it. Maybe people don’t hang up on her because they know what she says is true and it is basically the way their mother’s would say it to them. People think she should be polite and talk sweetly because she is on the radio. But, when someone calls in and says that their significant other slaps them around, yells at their children, drinks up their paycheck, and has affairs, but it has been going on for several years and they are &uot;thinking&uot; about leaving them, well I’m sorry but that person needs a reality check. And personally I like the way she gives it to them.

After all, these are grown-ups calling in. They obviously have heard her show before; they know she is very straight forward and abrasive. If they don’t like the way she talks to them they could hang up. But they don’t, and people are beginning to wonder why.

I say the reason is no one has ever told them to quit whining and do something about their situations. No one has ever said &uot;maybe you are at fault for having an affair, not your spouse for being excessively angry at you for it.&uot;

Maybe if more parents would talk to their children this way when they were still at home she wouldn’t have so many callers. Instead of letting our children blame others for their mistakes and problems perhaps we parents should practice saying &uot;no you cannot do that, I don’t care what other people are allowed to do.&uot;

One has to wonder why someone like Dr. Laura is a success and why so many adults are continuing to call here.

This past weekend at the home show I served this cheese ball. The recipe came to me several years ago from a friend of mine in Jackson. It has been a standard at my parties ever since. I use a whole jar of Armour dried beef. And you cannot skip toasting the pecans; this makes all the difference in the taste.

Pecan Special

Cheese ball ingredients

1 ounce dried beef

3 green onions

1/2 green onion

1/2 red bell pepper

Zest of 1 lemon

16 ounces cream cheese, room

temperature

Coating ingredients

2 green onion

1/4 cup fresh parsley

1 cup pecans, toasted

In the bowl of a food processor coarsely chop the dried beef, onions, zest and both bell peppers. In the food processor or in medium mixing bowl mix the beef mixture and cream cheese until well blended. Spoon onto plastic wrap, wrap tightly and place in refrigerator for at least an hour and up to 8 hours. When ready to serve prepare the coating. Chop the onions, parsley and toasted pecans and mix well. Place the coating mixture on a platter or in a bowl. Then remove the cheese ball from the plastic wrap and roll it in the coating mixture. Serve with Wheat Thins. Tip: Do not skip toasting the pecans, it makes all the difference.

Christina Hall is the lifestyle editor at The Democrat. She can be reached at 445-3549 or by e-mail at christina.hall@natchezdemocrat.com