Category Archives: Food Lovers

champagne + strawberries

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One of the best combinations, Champagne + Strawberries just got better…with cupcakes! I made these a while back for a wedding party for dear friends. The cupcake recipe was very simple, and I may have added a bit more champagne to the icing recipe! After baking and icing the cupcakes, I garnished each with a slice of fresh strawberry. Then, my creative brain dediced to  fill half of the cupcakes with strawberry jam for a flavorful punch. By punching holes into the center of each cupcake with a straw, I squeezed the jam into the center with an icing dispenser. Then, I decorated the tops with champagne icing.   I made over 100 cupcakes, and I was very pleased to take home empty platters.

Taking It All In

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Dress: C.Luce; Belt & Hat: Target; Watch: Michael Kors; Shoes: Tory Burch; Sunglasses: Tiffany & Co; Bracelets

I’m searching for a body double, and only serious applicants should apply. I’ve been running in so many directions lately, that my prized multi-tasking skills have been put to the test. Some days, I’ve failed miserably trying to pack so much in. While there wasn’t a lot of down time during our weekend visit to Lake Martin with my family (two little nephews keep you moving), it was a welcome getaway to spend time with the people I love and drink lots of coffee. Of course, all of the forget-me-not happenings of the past week are sprinkled with some please-forget-me moments.

Forget-Me-Nots

  • Adam Scott in all of his beauty (and his hole in one!) at Augusta National, errrr I mean, Spending time with J at his favorite place on earth.
  • Pulling down the steep drive way at the lake to be welcomed by my nephews
  • Proving aPrincesscan catch the biggest fish of the day
  • Wearing my DVF wedges (simlar style here)that have been patiently waiting in my closet since January
  • One hour of solitude in the middle of the lake, on a raft, soaking up the sun
  • “Camping Out” on the living room floor with my nephews (now, a five year tradition at the lake)
  • Sweet kisses from baby Jack after his weekend with our dog sitter
  • An evening walk that turned into a lawn party at our neighbor’s house
  • Four car naps while John drove to Augusta and the lake – car naps are some of the best sleep I ever get!
  • Bubba Watson slipping into the green jacket on Sunday evening
  • Snickers mini ice cream bars

Please-Forget-Me’s

  • Walking to the restroom after a big meeting to find your two front teeth stained with orange-red lipstick
  • Habin the skin on my face shed like a snake’s after over-exposure to the sun
  • Silk Dress + No Slip + Static + Wind = What the Heck was I Thinking Yesterday???
  • The moment when you realize the thought in your head to tell someone to please just “Shut Up,” is no longer just a thought because your mouth has taken on a life of it’s own and has, in fact, actually done just what you were thinking. I told you my multi-tasking skills have been compromised due to lack of sleep and running like a mad woman.

The “Please-Forget-Me’s” may be slim so far, i must remind you, it’s only Wednesday. This list will undoubtedly grow. Do you have any moments to share?

BLT Bites

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To eat very little meat products, I absolutely LOVE bacon. I also love lettuce and tomatoes, but loathe the traditional BLT Sandwich. Odd, I know. So, a desire to enjoy a BLT inspired this simple twist.

Take mini phylo shells (found in your grocery freezer) and thaw. Mix half a packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Dip mix with 8oz of non-fat sour cream. Place a “dollop” of the ranch dip in the bottom of the shells, top with shredded lettuce, a sliced cherry tomato and crumbled (cooked) bacon. A perfect litle Spring/Summer appetizer.

Holy Guacamole

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This weekend had far too few hours for my “to-do” list. John and I checked off most of our spring cleaning, which involved two days of packing up my fall/winter clothes and organizing my spring/summer wardrobe, spring landscaping, prepping our vegetable garden, deep cleaning our house and trying out new recipes. We did manage to slip in a bit of fun cheering on our favorite t-ball player (nephew Logan) and favorite up-and-coming t-ball player (nephew Camden). While they are getting a little too cool for sugars from me, Uncle J is definitely in demand. After our ball field fun and a few sugars from the kiddos, John took me to dinner at a little space that is one of our new favorite spots.

With flavors that hit you like a tidalwave, Atlanta’s Taquiera Tsunami merges two of my favorite cuisines from Far East and South of the Border. The Latin-Asian fusion leaves your taste buds begging for more. Even more, the people running the show are awesome – Anne, our super cute waitress and Rob, the gracious co-owner/co-chef. It only gets better, percentages of their top selling tacos support Tsunami relief efforts with the Red Cross. I love good food…I admire good people. And let’s be honest. The Sangria is quite nice, too.

Fresh Guacamole and Edamame

Our Taco Variety - Rich Man's Shrimp Tempura & Asada Zing

 

Shamrock Truffles

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I don’t just love St. Patrick’s Day, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE St. Patrick’s Day! It may be in part that my birthday falls on the day after (my most favorite holiday!), but I have always LOVED celebrating my Irish roots on this day. Since I’m in New York for St. Patrick’s Day, John and I celebrated last weekend with Shamrock Truffles (commonly known as Oreo Truffles – recipe below). This oh-so-delicious, yet 0h-so-ridiculously easy treat is equal to finding a pot of gold – a no bake, three ingredient dessert equals JACKPOT!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY (a little early), friends! Wear your best green…if you’re looking for ideas, you can always look back here.

Shamrock Truffles (Oreo Truffles)

36 Oreos (so maybe I did count them out)

1 Pkg Cream Cheese, softened

White Chocolate Bark, melted (follow instructions on packaging)

–Crush Oreos in a large mixing bowl; mix in softened cream cheese; roll into balls (about 46 bites of YUM).

–Dip in melted white chocolate. Use two forks to lift and drain chocolate.

–Place on parchment paper, add green sprinkles and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Pucker Up

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A trip to my grandmother’s house always guaranteed one thing…dessert! Usually, there was a variety to choose from, but for me, there were three choices that could turn any day into the perfect day. On birthdays, I was always gifted with a red velvet cake; a poundcake (and many other desserts) followed our Sunday dinners and a lemon ice box pie with no meringue could be made to order at a moment’s notice. My grandmother, Ma, could prepare a feast like no other. Each Sunday, she prepared a gracious meal for all of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, the preacher’s family and anyone else who would like to join us. My Ma taught me that cooking was about cooking with love, opening your home and enjoying the people you invited in to share a meal with. I’ve not attempted my Ma’s lemon ice box pie in years – mine has never tasted quite like hers. But I love all things lemon, and I recently found a quick and easy lemon tart recipe from Paula Deen that definitely cause me to pucker up with their tart lemon flavor! A delis treat that brought back special childhood memories.

Cozy Dinner

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This past weekend was quite busy for the husband and me. We ran in a local race on Saturday morning, and then headed to Chattanooga to catch up with college friends and their sweet addition to the family, Tillman. While I don’t have baby fever at all, that little guy was adorable. Accompanying the busy weekend was cold, rainy weather (blah), and I couldn’t think of a better way to wind down our weekend than with a cozy pasta dinner on Sunday night. John and I love to entertain friends and family, but Sunday night was set aside for just the two of us to talk about the upcoming week and relax with a simple, yet savory dish. Last summer, we fell in love with homemade pizzas on the grill. Another simple dinner, but the idea of fire grilled pizza just makes it taste even better! What we loved most was the marinara sauce on the pizza, so I decided to play around with the recipe I had and try a little something for pasta. Along with our spinach fettuccini and tomato dish, we sampled fresh mozzarella and olive tapenade crostini.


Here’s the oh-so-simple recipe I used for the tomato sauce. I’m eager to use my home grown tomatoes during the summer!

Spicy Tomato Sauce

In a large boiler, heat 6 tablespoons of olive oil and 3 minced garlic cloves over high heat until fragrant. Add 2 – 28oz cans of petite diced tomatoes and mash/stir as they cook down. Add in crushed red pepper (I use ¾ teaspoon, but this is very spicy! The red pepper is optional – add any amount that you like). Add a dash of salt and ground black pepper to taste. Simmer and continue mashing tomatoes for about 15 minutes or until at a consistency of your liking.