Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake

Blueberry-Lemon Pound Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 cups butter
• 3 cups white sugar
• 6 eggs
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• • 1/2 lemon, zested
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 pint blueberries
• 
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Grease a bundt pan and lightly coat with flour.
2. In a large bowl or mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the flour alternately with the buttermilk, mixing just until incorporated.
3. Rinse blueberries and toss lightly in flour.
4. Add vanilla, lemon zest and juice to batter. Gently mix.
5. Delicately fold blueberries into batter.
6. Pour batter into bundt pan. Tap pan on counter-top to release any air bubbles in batter.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 3o minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. After removing from the oven, immediately loosen cake edges with a knife. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes. Put a large plate on top of bundt pan. Flip over and then remove from the pan.

Vanilla Lemon Glaze

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 lemon, zested

Directions:

Mix the above ingredients in a small bowl until smooth and well blended. Drizzle glaze over the top of a warm pound cake. Sprinkle extra zest over top of cake. Light dust with powdered sugar.

Collard Green and Black Eyed Pea Soup

A meal of black-eyed peas and collard greens on New Years Day is a Southern Tradition. It symbolizes luck and prosperity in the New Year. The peas represent coins and the greens represent money. It is often served with corn bread, which is thought to represent gold. Here's to a prosperous 2012!

Ingredients:

2 cups of carrots, diced

3 stalks of celery, diced

1/2 package of cherry tomatoes, halved

2 jalapeno peppers, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 package of fresh collard greens, chopped

1 carton chicken broth (I used Tuscany-style), 32oz.

1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped

1 handful fresh parsley, chopped

dash of onion powder

salt and pepper, to taste

hot sauce

red pepper flakes

1 can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed

(If you have a leftover ham bone from Christmas...throw it in the pot!)

Directions:

In a large crock pot combine the above ingredients, minus the beans. The longer the better. 4-6 hours minimum. About an hour before serving, add the beans. Taste and season to your liking...I like mine to have a little heat so I add red pepper flakes and hot sauce. If needed, add a cup or so of water while cooking. Serve with corn bread.

Meal #9: Spiced Apple Pork Tenderlion

I never realized what a crock pot junkie I was until I started documenting these recipes. Crock pots are the perfect Fall Kitchen small appliance. In the summer it is the grill...however the cool, dark Autumn nights lend for slow, easy cooking.

Ingredients

1 pork tenderloin

1 cup apple juice

1 cup chicken broth

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 cup apple butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

All spice

Cinnamon

Pepper

Kosher salt

Directions:

In a crock pot, combine tenderloin, onion, apple juice, and chicken broth. Season meat with salt and pepper. Cook on high for 4 hours, minimum.

Prior to serving, preheat oven to 350. Place pork tenderloin, onion, and some of the juices into a glass baking dish. Combine the apple butter, brown sugar, all spice, cinnamon, salt and pepper in a bowl. Glaze over the top of pork tenderloin. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until it caramelizes.

Meal #8: Herbed Pot Roast

Haha! Can't help but laugh at the title of this one.

Well, I still have not been to the grocery store to do a major shopping.

I went for beer and milk the other day. Staples!

I was a little bored with the crock pot and decided to try a roast in the oven.

I had many fresh herbs on hand and decided to take an

alternative approach to my traditional pot roast.

Herbed Pot Roast

Ingredients

1 lb chuck roast

2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced

garlic

garlic powder

pepper

Sage, fresh

Cilantro, fresh

Thyme, fresh

Gourmet Garden Italian Herb Blend paste - found in produce section

1 can cream of celery soup

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Place the onions in the bottom of a small roasting pan. Take the fresh garlic and smash 4 cloves open with the back of a spoon. Cut garlic into slivers. Pierce roast with the tip of a sharp knife. Put garlic slivers into the pockets. Start with one side of the roast. Sprinkle with garlic powder and pepper. Place into pan on top of onions. Repeat process on the other side. However this time drizzle a little olive oil on top of roast. Then sprinkle with garlic powder, pepper and a generous amount of herb paste. Work the seasonings into the meat creating a rub. Spoon the Cream of Celery Soup around the meat. Place fresh herbs into the soup mixture. Top with tin foil and cover with lid. Bake in oven for 2.5 hours. Before serving remove the lid and tin foil. Turn on broiler and let the herbed top slightly crust. Remove any large pieces of fresh herbs from gravy before serving. The meat should be tender and flaky.

Serve pot roast over mashed potatoes and generously top with onion gravy.

Brussel sprouts (or any fresh, green vegetable) steamed and tossed with feta makes a light and bright companion to the flavorful meat.

Herbed pot roast may make you sleepy or cause unusual cravings. Be warned.

Meal #7: Crock Pot White Bean Chili

White Bean Chili is one of my favorites.

I have a white bean chili recipe that has been one of my favs for many years.

For the sake of convenience, I pulled out my crock pot this afternoon, modified it a bit, and then whipped up another easy dinner. Bonus: a girlfriend of ours brought us a ton of chilies and other peppers from her garden! You can't beat homegrown, fresh veggies!

White Bean Chili

Ingredients

1/3 carton of reduced sodium chicken broth

2 15oz cans of navy beans, rinsed and drained

1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 medium onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 poblano pepper, diced

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 tbl. Minced garlic

1 tbl. cumin

2 tbl. chili powder

1 tbl. black pepper

Tabasco, Chipolte

Lime

Avocado: mashed with lime juice and a sprinkle of Kosher salt

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

In the crock pot: add the beans, chicken, peppers, onions, chicken stock and spices. Gently stir. Let cook for at least 2.5 hours. The longer you let the crock pot do its thing, the more the chicken will begin to fall apart. If necessary, pull the cooked chicken out and dice/shred then return to the crock pot before serving. Taste and season with Tabasco, lime juice, and cilantro. Stir well. Top each bowl with cheese, avocado, and more cilantro.

Serve with Corn bread.

Jalapeno and Cilantro Corn Bread

1 package Jiffy Corn Bread Mix

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

jalapeno, diced

fresh cilantro, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all of the above ingredients. Pour into 9" ceramic dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Top with a bit of butter.

Meal #6: Fall Feast for Two

This combination is fantastically Fall.

The potatoes are a savory spin on traditional sweet potato recipes.

A must-try!

Harvest Cole Slaw

1/2 purple cabbage, roughly chopped

1/2 Honey Crisp apple, diced and tossed in lemon juice

1 handful Craisens

1/4-1/2 cup chunky bleu cheese dressing (preferably Marie's)

All spice seasoning

Cinnamon

Pepper

In a medium bowl, combine cabbage, apples, and Craisens. Toss and coat cabbage with bleu cheese dressing. Add a dash of all spice and a dash of cinnamon. Pepper to taste. Chill in fridge for 30-60 minutes.

Sweet Potatoes with Garlic and Sage

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into thin rounds

1/3 cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

handful of fresh sage

beer

Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium skillet, fry whole sage leaves lightly in hot olive oil. Gently remove and drain on paper towel. Toss the garlic and potatoes into sage infused oil. Coat potatoes in oil and garlic. Saute in the same skillet until slightly browned. Place into a 9x13 glass baking dish in the oven. Sprinkle onion over potatoes. Deglaze pan with a splash of beer and pour over potatoes and onions. Bake until lightly golden brown. (I turned the broiler on at the end to caramelize even more.) Serve tossed with sage leaves and a little Kosher salt.

Breaded Pork Chops

Ingredients

2 pork chops, abt 1"

1 egg

milk

Italian bread crumbs

All-spice

Directions

Beat the egg and a splash of milk in a shallow dish. Sprinkle bread crumbs in another bowl. Dredge both side of pork chop in egg mixture, season with all-spice on both sides. Coat in breadcrumbs. Take one pork chop and place in the same skillet that the potatoes were sauteed in. Brown in skillet for about 2 minutes per side. Place pork chops into dish with potatoes. Place into oven and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350.

Meal #5: Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Well...it is another SOUPER Sunday! I typically go grocery shopping on Sundays, but my fridge and freezer are still stocked with healthy goodies to create new recipes with!

I love using the crock pot to create no fuss, simple meals that required little prep work and clean up. I am stealing this recipe from my girlfriend's new wellness and nutrition blog - Salootay. I am a firm believer that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, especially when it comes to sharing recipes!

I am paring down the volume of the liquid in this soup, as we do not need as many servings, however the basics are the same. I only added one can of crushed tomatoes, 3/4 of a carton of reduced sodium chicken broth, and only one pound chicken tenderloins. I added a dash of garlic powder...well because I am an over-doctorer. As well as a diced green pepper and a handful of diced baby portabellas, simply because I had the extra produce on hand. A can of drained and rinsed black beans would also be a nice addition and add a little more protein and fiber. I am an advocate of finding a recipe that sounds like you would love and tweaking it to make it your own. If you do not have all of the items in your fridge or pantry, it is possible to recreate the recipe as long as the staples remain the same.

Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

courtesy of Chris Carrington

Ingredients~

• 1-1.25 lbs organic boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 2 large cans crushed tomatoes (I try and buy low sodium)
• 1 carton low sodium chicken broth
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 10-12 white corn tortillas, sliced into thin strips
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro
• 2-3 limes
• 2 avocados
• 2 TBSP Mexican Style Chili Powder
• 1 TBSP Cumin
• shredded monterey jack cheese (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

Process~

• Pour the chicken broth and crushed tomatoes into a crock pot
• Add the diced onions, some chopped cilantro and spices and mix well
• Place the chicken breast in the liquid
• Cover and set on Low for 6-8 hours or on High for 4 hours
• After it has cooked for the time above, pull out the chicken and shred with a fork.
• Place back in the crock pot.
• Add the white corn tortilla strips to the soup, cover and let it cook another 10-15 minutes
• When ready to serve, top each serving with some diced avocado, fresh cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. The pepper jack cheese is optional.

**if you prefer a more soupy consistency, you can add more chick broth**

Meal #4: The Great Pumpkin....Chili?

Okay. I did not tell anyone that there was pumpkin the in the chili when I served it for the fear that the first reaction would be....weird!?!

However, the combination was rustic and creamy with a hit of...pumpkin! Pumpkin and sage pair well together and the splash of dark beer leaves the taster pleasantly pleased with the meal. It has a little something special that they just can't put their finger on.

Vegetarian Pumpkin Chili

Ingredients

1 16oz black beans, drained and rinsed

1 16oz Northern beans, drained and rinsed

1 16oz chili beans, do not drain or rinse

one 16oz corn, drained and rinsed

1/2 15oz can pureed pumpkin

1 small onion, diced

All-Spice

Cinnamon

garlic powder

onion powder

chili powder

Tabasco, Chipotle

fresh sage, chopped

beer (Fat Tire 1554, in this recipe)

Directions

In a crock pot, combine all of the beans, corn, and onion. Mix well. Then add a half can of pumpkin. Add a dash or two of All-spice, cinnamon, garlic and onion powder. Add a generous amount of chili powder. Again mix well. As the chili begins to warm throughout, taste and season as needed. I like to add a good amount of Tabasco for heat and about a cup of beer to the chili towards the end of cooking. Season with fresh sage. Total time in crock 1.5-2 hours or more.

Pumpkin Corn Bread

Ingredients

1 package Jiffy Corn Bread mix

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

1/2 can pumpkin

brown sugar

cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 400. In a medium bowl, combine the all of the above ingredients. Pour batter into a 9' ceramic or glass pie pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve with melted butter over the top, if desired.

#3 Meal: My Big, Fat, Greek Dinner

Rotisserie chicken from the deli is a great item to have on hand for the basis of an easy dinner. I picked up a Lemon-Pepper chicken from Publix for $4.99. Mediterranean-esque side items compliment the lemon-pepper marinade.

Greek Cole Slaw

Ingredients

1/2 red cabbage, chopped into small, rough pieces

1 small cucumber, loosely peeled and diced (seeds removed)

2 oz. crumbled feta cheese

1/4-1/2 cup Greek vinaigrette (Marie's)

lemon

pepper

oregano

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine cabbage, cucumber, and feta. Toss with dressing until all cabbage is lightly coated. Add a generous amount of pepper and a dash of oregano along with the juice of 1/2 a lemon. Stir well and let sit in fridge for 30-60 minutes.

Warm chicken in the oven, topped with remaining lemon juice. Serve with sauteed spinach tossed lightly with olive oil and Kosher salt. Add a pepperocini for a little bite!

Meal #2: Spicy Sausage and Kale Soup

Today is a Sunday and it is dreary and cool outside.

Perfect soup weather!

I had package of kale in the fridge and had already made some chips with it. (If you haven't tried kale chips...you should...they are very yummy and nutritious too.) I decided to use the remaining kale to make a hearty soup.

Spicy Sausage and Kale Soup

Ingredients

1 lb. Italian style ground sausage

32 oz. reduced sodium chicken broth

1 medium onion, chopped

1 portobello mushroom cap, chopped

2 cans Northern beans, rinsed and drained

4 large handfuls of fresh kale, chopped

Tabasco, Chipotle style

Crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

olive oil

Directions

In a large stock pot, drizzle olive oil to coat the bottom. Brown the sausage and break into smaller pieces. Add the onion and mushroom, then saute. Add the chicken broth and beans, then bring to a boil. Season to taste. Add the kale. Put on the lid and turn heat to simmer. You want the kale to break down and for the soup to thicken. Taste the broth to ensure that it is perfectly spicy. Top with Parmesan cheese and serve with a piece of crusty bread.

$138 - 14 Meal Challenge

I love going to the grocery store! I always try and shop very budget-consciously. My bill is usually around $100 for the week and I typically save at least a 1/3. Today I went grocery shopping and spent $138. I was a little mad at myself....then I realized I had 14 plus meals, as well as paper towels, diapers and other bigger ticket items. It inspired me to blog about it. Stay tuned to see how far I can stretch that dollar over the next 2 weeks!

I try and choose healthy, simple recipes. I can guarantee there will be a cheat meal here and there! However, we all need to keep items on hand to feed hungry mouths quickly!

Whenever I see that Publix has their brand pizzas on sale, I will pick up one or two. For $3.99, you have an easy lunch or dinner. A good idea is to keep a plain, cheese pizza in your freezer. Top it with whatever you have in the fridge. I love pears, goat cheese, and prosciutto. Voila! A quick gourmet pizza that does not break the bank!

Meal #1: Plain cheese pizza topped with whatever ingredients that you have on hand to create your own specialty za!

My Newest Obsession

I am head over heals in love with the BLUES in blue and white porcelain.

I am spending my free time on the computer googling urns after spying the simplest, most gorgeous pair at a friend's house this past week. Paired with a simple round mirror, her mantel was classic and crisp. Urns, urns, where can I find some? Patience is a virtue. Or I will drink too much wine and order some online. Maybe Chris will find some today?

I am even contemplating painting our front door a nice cobalt blue. Our home is an orangy brick. Not my favorite tone of brick, but blue is the complement to orange on the color wheel. It would be a bold risk, but then again it is just paint. If I keep the hue deep and not too bright it could be just the pop our house needs.

Also, blue looks great with yellows and I picture planters over-flowing with yellow verbena and a wreathe of forsythia in the Spring. Orange pumpkins will pop against a blue backdrop. A simple boxwood wreath at Christmas against the cobalt blue wooden door. Sounds cheery.

I am gravitating to Batik. Don't you just LOVE the names of paint colors? Now that would be a fun job.

So...what do you think?

Spicy Egg Sort-ta Frittata

I love Sunday mornings. PJs til noon. Cold cups of coffee. Cuddling on the couch with cartoons. I have a few more years before Lily will attend Sunday school and until then...Sunday mornings are slow paced, relaxed, and spent at home.

Chris slipped out early to head to an auction in North Carolina. Our house was quiet and I was hungry. I wanted a simple, easy recipe that I could enjoy later in the day too.

I raided the freezer. Nothing. I checked the pantry. Hmmmm. I needed beans for another recipe. No beans. I checked the fridge. Eggs. Cheese. Veggies. Yum. Eggs are such a staple and the base for so many recipes.

Spicy Egg Sort-ta Frittata

Ingredients:
olive oil
6 eggs
splash of milk
handful cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium onion, halved and sliced thin
1 small jalapeno, diced
1/2 tsp chopped garlic
1/2 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
dash Kosher salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Grease a 9" ceramic or glass pie pan or dish with olive oil
3. In a saute pan, coat bottom with olive oil and heat. Add onions, tomatoes, jalapeno, and garlic. Dash of Kosher salt. Saute til caramelized and slightly browned.
4. In a large bowl, crack the 6 eggs and beat with a splash of milk.
5. Pour the egg mixture into the greased dish and top with sauteed veggies.
6. Sprinkle cheese over the top.
7. Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes til fluffy and firm.
8. Let cool slightly.
9. Slice into wedges and serve.

Shop Worth Repeating - Before I Buy Everything

Back in May 2011, Chris and I took over ownership of Worth Repeating in West Columbia. It is a high-end antique and furniture consignment store - more or less. However, since we took over, we have decided to shake it up a bit. While the regular customers can still expect the same great, high quality pieces, we have really focused on bringing in new designers, tons of new items, and freshening it up! If you have been, please stop by again. If you haven't....this is the time to check it out. Enough about that...

I have been on a job hiatus this past month and technically start my new job on Monday. yikes. I have gotten pretty comfortable with my pseudo-stay-at-home-mom role. I wish I could say that I have spent the last month dropping Lily off at school, hitting the gym for a morning Spin class, laying out by the pool, staying up too late, and sleeping in. Chris cracks a mean whip. I have been getting Worth Repeating into the 21st century. We have QuickBooks, a POS tagging system, and a new web site. Long hours, lots of blood, sweat, and even some tears. But it has been worth it. No pun intended.

Well....while I have been spending soooo much time at the shop it is hard for a shopper and bargain hunter like myself to not find a FEW items that would look good in our home. Maybe freshen IT up a bit! If any of you know Chris...he likes things to stay the same. Boring. He could re-stage the shop everyday of the week, but our own home is another story. However, I have been a frustrated designer my whole life - lugging my full-sized bed from wall to wall in my childhood bedroom and using some scissors, glue and the stylish Sears catalog to design homes for mock-clients as a young girl. Decorating is in my blood. As is shopping.

The other night Chris made the mistake of slipping out early handing me over the keys to close the shop. He was heading to an auction and was not going to be home for a few hours. Here was my opportunity. All of the fun items that I had my eye on made their way into some large cardboard boxes and into my truck. Twinkle-y things, pink things, bright things, shiny things. I was a kid in a candy store. You see...I love our house. It just felt too formal. Too monochromatic and it needed...something. I made a list of the items I took and gleefully headed home with my treasures. What pleased me more was the bargain that I found. At Worth Repeating we have a lot of amazing designers that rent booth space and devoted consignors. So...we don't technically own all of the products. I added up my items and the price tag was less than $200. Pretty good if you ask me! I also snuck in a few of our finds that have been hanging around the shop. Shhhhh.

I am a big believer in re-styling your home in pieces you already own. Sometimes just by moving the drapes from one room to the other or by replacing the dark, Oriental rug with a lighter seagrass one, it can make all of the difference. I also find comfort and an eye-pleasing quality in symmetry and balance. Then you need a touch of whimsy. Well....I moved around lamps. Tried different paintings. Placed bowls here. Placed them there. I thought it looked pretty good. Then Chris came home with some of his auction finds. Another thing that I am bad about is wanting to keep everything he find for ourselves. But we DO have a business to run....right?

Well....check out my before and afters and let me know what you think. It is still a work in process, but I wanted to show how a few small items and not a very large price tag can make a big difference!

My treasures!

I still need to find a place for the sconces!

Living Room - BEFORE

Beautiful chest. Yet Boring.

Piano. So frustrated what to do with it. Nothing looks good over it.

The collection of photographs looks lost.

A hodge-podge in my dining room. Anyone for an antique ice box?

The joys of living with a picker.

Living room - AFTER.

A great idea from Gretchen Opgenorth with the Collected Home. Display photos in a fun container. It allows your guests the informality to flip though your life without the stuffiness of a picture album. Heck...I am lucky if I actually print them! I love the way they look in this milk glass compote from Worth Repeating!

Aren't these carnival glass lamps fun! An inexpensive auction find! I will have to post the original shades later! Also, Sir Rooster will be in our "Man Room" when we finish the attic space. I better hurry up and paint something in art class. Fast.

Dining Room - AFTER
The wall of paintings should be complete soon. With plaster walls I have to be pretty confident with where I want to hang things or we end up with a big mess.

I took these bamboo arm chairs our of the attic and added these bright pillows. Dining rooms crave fabric with all that wood. I love blue hydrangeas reflecting in the plateau mirror and silver plate compote (the Two Brits at WR! Excellent prices. It was only $12!!!!). Also, the blue and white planter on top of the corner cabinet repeats the cobalt blue color. A touch of whimsy with the vintage globe. Another find at WR from The Collected Home.

Collected pieces look good grouped together and do not have to be expensive, just tell a story. This one says that we like bourbon and South Carolina. Just kidding.

Thanks for checking it out!

To Wet Your Palate

Here Are The Top Posts From My Previous Life with Blonde Appetit:

1. The Five Points Special

2. mmm. mmm. good.

3. My Savory Dinner For One

4. Girls' Night In

5. Morocco, A Seat By The Window Please

6. A Hunter Has No Trouble Loving The Women Powerful Enough To Make Him Come Home

As a special treat and because football season is right around the corner and I LOVE my Gamecocks...

1. Mr. Friendly's Tailgating Grub

Enjoy!

Welcome BACK ya'll!

Welcome BACK ya'll! I am a forever food-loving gal down in South Carolina. I love food and drink. I love everything about it. The sound of the sprinklers going off in the produce section of the local grocery. The tarty taste of fresh squeezed lemonade from the State Fair. The subtle hint of salt and pepper on a juicy, just-picked garden tomato. The sugary frosting on a child's birthday cake. Ordering a fine bottle of champagne on girls' night out. Drinking tequila with hand's messy from all-you-can-eat crab legs. And I am absolutely over the moon for cheese. So, grab a knife and a fork, and a bottle and a cork...

Well...that was then and this is now. 2011 - We now have an almost two year old daughter named Lily. We are also the proud new owners of a high-end antique shop in West Columbia. To top it off, we are in an on-going process of renovating our older home. Whew!

Blonde Appetit will be more than just food and entertaining. It will include healthy recipes for children, fun party ideas for kids, stories from our adventures "picking" the best antiques, and exhausted cries for help about how to balance it all! Nonetheless, I still love cooking and enjoy a glass of wine more than I should. So, you can expect the content to remain the same as before...only enhanced due to the exciting additions and changes in lifestyle.

Kick back, relax, and enjoy reading:

-creative, simple, posh, casual, elegant ways to entertain

-decorating, designing, and re-designing

-tales from the Shop

-recipes - for adults and children

-and check out all the hotspots we visit on this adventure!

Mmmmmmm. Now I need a chocolate milk...this time it is in a sippy cup.

That's Amore!

When the world seems to shine like you've had too much wine

That's amore

Bells will ring ting-a-ling-a-ling, ting-a-ling-a-ling

And you'll sing "Vita bella"

Hearts will play tippy-tippy-tay, tippy-tippy-tay

Like a gay tarantella
When the stars make you drool just like a pasta fazool

That's amore!

Good morning morning yall. I hope that you had a fabulously romantic Valentine's Day. I think that the closer we are getting to completion with our new kitchen, the more I am finding myself falling back into love with food. I received the sweetest Valentine's card from Chris. I think that it is always special when people write personal messages inside. Chris commented how he can't wait to get our little family back into our house to enjoy our kitchen and proposed the question: What will our first meal be?

Ever since we attended a festive Valentine's Party at our friend Geno and Tony's house in Mill Pond, my mouth has been watering over the briny green olives that they served on the antipasto tray. They were stuffed with feta and tossed with red pepper flakes and olive oil. More info to come about these olives, because I have to get my hands on them again. It was a wonderful celebration with good friends, GREAT food and lots of bubbly! Geno and Tony really outdid themselves...once again! The food presentation was perfect and what a special touch by hiring a bartender. So fun!

I googled Red Pepper, Feta, and Olives and while I was doing a little research I stumbled upon this foodie blog and had to share it with you.

Choosy Beggars

You have to check out their recipe for Pasta with Olives and Feta in a Roasted Red Pepper Sauce. Who's watching carbs? Also look for the Roasted Red Pepper, Walnut and Feta Dip. I am definately going to be trying that one!

Geno and Tony had a large amount a heavy hors d'œuvres: from shrimp cocktail with a killer sauce (so retro...I love it!), stuffed mushrooms, asparagus, chicken salad, tenderloin, and that to die for antipasto bar. I could nibble on that all day, every day. Just give me a big ole glass of red wine and some spicy meats, rich cheeses, sinful olives and hot peppers. Heaven.

One simple dish that took center stage were their Roasted Brussel Sprouts.

Here is the homemade recipe, courtsey of Geno, but don't let him take the cake for it....it is Tony's recipe!

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Toss brussel sprouts with olive oil sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper. 400 degrees for 30 minutes shaking every 5-7 minutes. Also try it with bacon crumbles and chopped onion while roasting.

Now that's amore to me. Back to my original thought: What do you think our first meal in the new kitchen should be?

Guilty as charged....

Well. Here it goes. I am guilty of neglecting you my dear readers. I have been one busy bee with my new job. While the traveling around the globe, both for training and in my new giant territory, have been exciting, I have had little time for myself. And therefore for you. Will you ever forgive me?

I promise to come back. While I may not be able to make daily contributions, I will be sure to get the goods out! I love my little blog. It helps get my creative juices flowing.

Another thing that I have been guilty of is not cooking. Ever. Can you imagine? I have been great at the old adage: making reservations. Or better put...eating at Casa Linda and picking up premade food from Publix. Also, my fridge is on the flux. Oh brother. I could put together a collection of recipes on how to raid your pantry and come up with some sort of meal. But I too, have been coming short on time to do that!

Here is a quick list for food when you are on the run:
1. Apples. High fiber. Need no refrigeration. And no waste. You don't even need to feel bad about throwing the core out your car window on I-95. But for some reason I still do.
2. Publix. Tonight I had the Parmesan and broccoli stuffed chicken breast (40 min in oven!)and feta bowtie pasta with a fruit cup for dessert. Pretty well rounded and under $10.
3. Granola Bars. breakfast. snack. dessert. Special K makes one with raspberries and chocolate. Just bought Fiber One's newest...mocha. yum!
4. Kashi oatmeal. Apples and Cinnamon drizzled with honey.
5. Sleepy time tea. Take me away. Really.
6. LaCroix h20. It is on sale right now. Get some!
7. Papa Johns. Dinner does double duty as breakfast.
8. Let yourself have a #two cheeseburger meal from Mickey Ds every now and then.
9. Soup. yes. boring. I know.
10. Two words. Room Service.

Bacon Makes Everything Better

click here.
enough said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/dining/28bacon.html

What's going on between my ears and in my mouth...

Do you ever have random thoughts?

Of course you do...

Here are few that are spinning around my head right now:

1. Are these girls on the Bachelor serious?

2. Mmmmm. Rosemary and Olive Oil Triscuit Crackers are so addicting!

3. Don't girls realize that needy is NOT attractive?.

4. Speaking of needy, there is a Jennifer Aniston Special on E!.

5. Sometimes when your life is spinning out of control, a nice, helpful person is a lifesaver.

6. As is a friendly person. So be nice, helpful, and friendly. Maybe someone else is having their bad day.

7. Cheese is my weakness. Tonight I am making my traditional single gals dinner. Portabellos topped with yummy goodness. Tonight it is a little olive oil and Horseradish Cheddar Cheese from Boar's Head. Broil on low for about 10min. Then top with cheese until it melts.

8. Publix has the BEST fresh food. From the salad, to dips, to hmmmmm...cheese!

9. Paula Deen hits the nail on the head with her house mix. Toss veggies in olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. That's all you need.

10. LaCroix sparkling water makes you feel fancy.

11. My pink UGGs. Ugly, yes. But too comfy to give up! Even in public.

12. Pothos make the best house plants. They always perk up with a little h2o and sunshine. They've got the right idea!

Who knew a night home and $12.71 spent at Publix could make one so happy?

Ahhhh. The simple pleasures.