FROM the FARM: You're invited to Ann Landers Valentine's Day lunch at Teibel's

Every year readers look forward to my annual Valentine's Day charity luncheon for The Caring Place at Teibel's restaurant and the announcement of the year's theme.

My 4th Annual Valentine's Day Luncheon for The Caring Place is from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday Feb. 12 and this year's theme is "Letter Perfect Valentine's Day" saluting the life of late legendary advice columnist Ann Landers.

Because seating is limited and some advance invites have already been mailed, please RSVP right away, as this is always a popular event that sells out quickly.

It's all reserved seating at each of the tables, which will seat eight. Doors open at noon with lunch served at 1 p.m. On the day of the luncheon, guests will be asked to pick from a choice of three main course entrees: Teibel's Fried Chicken or Beef Sirloin Tips or Teibel's Famous Boned and Buttered Lake Perch. Each will come with a dinner roll and cole slaw first course, and the entrees will be served with baby red potatoes, and a vegetable blend of young yellow summer squash, red peppers, onions and green zucchini. Each lunch also comes with choice of beverage, including coffee, hot tea, iced tea or milk. Dessert will be fresh vanilla ice cream served with a recipe featured in my third cookbook: Dear Abby's Coconut Cream Cake.

Luncheon tickets are $30 per person, which includes tax and tip and a portion of each ticket sold will benefit one of my favorite nonprofit groups, The Caring Place, the Valparaiso shelter for victims of domestic violence.

Reservations are required by calling (219) 933-4173 and leaving name, contact telephone number and the number in your party attending. And yes, lots of chances to once again win wonderful prizes.

For today's featured recipe, I've decided to share a favorite pecan pie recipe of Ann's twin sister advice columnist Abigail Van Buren aka Pauline "Popo" Phillips, 93, who is now retired and living with Morton, her husband of 72 years, near their son Eddie in Minnetonka, Minn. Her daughter Jeanne took over writing the "Dear Abby" column in 2002.

Today's pecan pie recipe was shared by the original Abigail Van Buren with Dinah Shore on a segment of her TV talk show and also shared with readers when she published it in her column.

When I talked last year by phone with Jeanne, she said the pie was a favorite of her mother's, who has always "had a sweet tooth." As for the pie recipe's origins, she said her mother "discovered it" at the now defunct Phoenix Hotel in Lexington, Ky. where it was passed along to her by the hotel's pastry chef.

Abby's Famous Pecan Pie

9-inch unbaked pie crust

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1/3 cup butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 heaping cup pecan halves

DIRECTIONS: Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine corn syrup, sugar, eggs, butter, salt and vanilla; mix well. Pour into unbaked pie crust; sprinkle with pecan halves. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until center is set. (Toothpick inserted in center will come out clean when pie is done. If using an electric oven, 15 to 20 minutes might have to be added to baking time.) If the crust or pie appears to be getting too brown, cover with foil for the remaining baking time. Cool. Makes 10 serving slices.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at philip.potempa@nwi.com or 219.852.4327.