Book excerpt: Everyone who met Granny was captivated by her kindness and love. She showcased her love for others by spending countless hours in her kitchen. Over the years, her recipes became the fabric of her family. This compilation of recipes (hers and passed down from her family) is an homage to the legacy she left in every life she touched. Wanda Violet Adkins Wooten Dean was born December 28, 1927, in Wayne County, West Virginia. She was the daughter of Verlin and Rita Adkins and had three sisters and one brother. She loved her four children, two husbands, 10 grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren more than anything in this world. When she wasn't working or spending time with her family, she enjoyed cooking, traveling, and watching television (most notably, Food Network and court-case shows). She is our eternal Guardian Angel.