Craving…COLOR

Posted on by April 1, 2011

I don’t know what this lingering desire for color is…is it the winter blahs or maybe spring fever?  My last home utilized lots of color…in the form of paint on my walls, I can think of 9 different wall colors.  My new house, that I love, has only 2 different wall colors…and it is considerably larger than my former home.  My entire home, less the 2 walls of the dining room (it’s an open floor plan), is a light-ish khaki…crisp khaki or southern sand, to be exact.  Those 2 walls of the dining room are an amazing shade of pea-ish green…I love that color!  I don’t know if I love it because it is so fabulous, or because it is the only ‘color’ LOL.

I really want to repaint my master bedroom…I’m afraid my darling husband may have me committed if I so much as suggest we paint.  See, we bought this house from a local bank…not quite ‘as-is’, but we didn’t get it in tip-top shape, either…the price you pay (or don’t 😉 ).  So to say that we went through some difficulty with touching up the paint to make it presentable…well, that is a gross understatement.  I still have a spot on my ceiling that I have yet to get paint that matches…incredibly long story, that ended with me telling my husband to stop looking up!  *sigh*  I really can’t believe that I’m even considering painting to be quite honest.  I know that painting is relatively inexpensive, fairly simple, and not horribly time-consuming (if you have the ‘right’ paint, of course). 

I really want to make myself deal with the overall khakiness of my home in new, creative ways…that don’t involve repainting walls.  I have been weaving in accessories, but I’m not ‘there’ yet.  In my kitchen and informal dining I have pops of red.  My family room is coming together with splashes of turquoise, my current obsession…I think it has something to do with it being my birthstone, but I am so digging turquoise…in my wardrobe & decorating.  It is amazing with the khaki.  I am even thinking about branching out and mixing in some of the turquoise with the reds in the kitchen…thoughts?  anyone? 

This is the mantle in our family room…I am trying to use the turquoise effectively, without going overboard with it.  I have similar ‘splashes’ on the bookcases that flank the fireplace on both sides.  On a different note, do you think it is wrong that the large picture above the fireplace includes only 2 of my 4 children? (it is the twins…I took this on a trip to San Diego…I loved this fountain).

Today’s secret revealed…I’m trying to step out of my box and find the new me…choosing a path I’ve never taken before, working with the wall color I have.

Tigerlily

Posted on by February 21, 2011

I am in a Natalie Merchant sort of mood…a dear friend from my childhood has moved on from this earthly world…I have the song ‘River’ in my head, particularly the line “with candles, with flowers…you were one of ours”.  Though time and distance and many other things in life came between us, this has affected me…very much.  She was one of ours.  Maybe it is because I am unable to be there for my best friend who this is hitting much closer to home for…they grew up a few doors down from each other…their parents still live there, in those houses that we all used to play and run and laugh in.  All I keep hearing over and over in my head is her laugh…she had a one-of-a-kind laugh…the kind of laugh that you couldn’t keep from laughing with. 

Ironic that I was digging through my ‘hope chest’ last week and found some of my class pictures from elementary school…my bff’s hubby is in those pictures with me…first grade…I have a child that age, we go waaaaay back.  I happened to have also pulled out the third grade class picture, I don’t really know why…maybe it was for today…there she is, sitting right beside me…both of us not looking at the camera (the geniuses taking those pictures had a bunch of third graders looking straight into the sun)…so strange how you begin on the same path…and then wander off…sometimes those paths cross again, even intertwine…sometimes the paths couldn’t be more different.

Today’s secret revealed…no matter how long it has been, there are those that will always be ‘one of ours’…rest in peace Jennifer.  I am praying for comfort and healing for your family.

I Live in a Small Town…

Posted on by April 1, 2011

I can breathe in a small town…this city loving girl is totally digging living the small town life.  Maybe it is because I grew up in a small town that I am loving it so much.  I have lived in pretty big cities for the last decade, PHX & ATL…you know they’re big because you don’t have to write the whole name for everyone to recognize it LOL.  I love to go eat at Warren’s Grill, it is inside the gas station about a mile from my house.  This ain’t QT people…it is a small town gas station.  The fella sittin behind the gas register will come to the aid of a young lady who appears to be having trouble with filling her gas can (that ‘young lady’ would be me…my manly husband ran out of gas on the lake…even though I told him he better check it before heading out).  The ladies cooking…Miss Caroline & Miss Christine (all ladies are ‘Miss’ in the South regardless of marital status) make the best chili dog with slaw that I’ve possibly ever had.  Those hot dogs remind me of the ones from the Dairy Queen in West Union when I was just a tiny little thing…it was the place I had my first french fry…Mom & Grannie nearly had a wreck watching me eat it, or so I’ve been told :).  The hot dogs at that Dairy Queen are still good, but not like they used to be…no where near as good as the ones at Warren’s.  How fitting I find it that it is mine & Emma’s thing…to go to Warren’s to have a hot dog, fries, & sweet tea…heaven!  Everyone at Warren’s knows Emma, she’s quite the little ham…they ooo&aah over her and she bats her lashes and kisses her Momma…sweet when she wants to be.  Mom joins in on our little lunches when she visits…if only Grannie were here…4 generations of chili dog WITH slaw eaters…there are exactly 4 stools at the counter, it would be too perfect. 

There is plenty I miss about city life…and if I really want to taste the city life, I head to Charlotte…it is super close, like 15 minutes LOL…but this feels so far away from it.  I like that.

Today’s secret revealed…this is the first place I have lived in a loooooong time that interstate driving isn’t a part of my daily routine…I don’t miss traffic…at all.

All you need is love…and some fab recipes!

Posted on by February 16, 2011

I’ve been promising the recipes for my special Valentine’s Day dinner for two…it was so delicious!  I’m not sure what my favorite part was…the bisque was so thick & creamy…the filet was utter perfection…the jalapeno hollandaise was sinfulicious…and the asparagus was the perfect side.  There are no pictures of the masterpiece dinner, no time for them…that’s what happens when you have 4 kids to get to bed & a hungry Valentine ;).  I do, however, have pictures of what I did with the very small amount of left-overs from my plate (hubby’s was licked clean LOL).

This would make a wonderful brunch (well it made a wonderful brunch…for me…today).

I had some lovely crimini mushrooms, so I sliced them thinly & sauteed with a bit of olive oil & some garlic.  Then, once the mushrooms were cooked, I tossed in the little bit of leftover asparagus and thinly sliced the tiny square of filet.

I know…decadent, delicious,  divine…and it is a random Wednesday!  Next I whisked 2 eggs together and poured onto my hot, buttered cast-iron griddle pan (it was my Grannie’s…fabulously ‘seasoned’ NOTHING sticks to this bad boy!).

Swirl the eggs to make a thin coat over the pan…then I use my handy-dandy ultra thin spatula-turner thingy.

You will want the eggs to be pretty set on top, so they don’t drip when you flip :).

See, perfect!  Now top it with some cheese (I used a slice of Havarti today, but whatever you have will do), and then add the leftover goodies!

Now, use the spatula to fold over the edge…

The thin, longness of this tool is the key for me…I’ve tried it with regular spatulas & I tear the omelet almost every time…I’m not quite talented enough to do the flip in the air ‘chef style’…but working on it.  Now roll it on over…

And to the plate!

I don’t know about you, but I’m sitting here writing this…with this very plate sitting in front of me…empty…drooling all over again.  It would have been way over the top if I had some fresh jalapeno hollandaise to drizzle over (you can’t reheat that sauce…it’s only fault, I assure you)…and perhaps a mimosa on the side!  If it weren’t brunch for one, I probably would’ve done it…but couldn’t indulge me, alone that much ;).

So I hope everyone had a fabulous Valentine’s Day!  Here are the recipes for the decadent dinner for two!  They are a printable pdf…ENJOY!

Today’s secret revealed…Love is all you need…not fancy cards & flowers…not even a new bike.

Love is all ya need…

Posted on by February 10, 2011

Love is in the air…Valentine’s Day is right around the corner.  It is the day you do something extra special for those you love the most.  For the 5 loves of my life, I want to make it memorable…but how???  Darling husband is easy…but what about the kids?  I don’t want this to be about candy or toys…I want it to be about time spent together.  There is a PRECIOUS project I found on Saltwater-kids.com that I have really wanted to do with them…I think now is the perfect time!  I love that these little homemade treats for our feathered friends are heart shaped, that is what really drew me in.  I’m on a mission to find a heart shaped muffin pan, I thought this would be an easy task…I was wrong!  I do have a small assortment of heart shaped cookie cutters (and various other shapes) along with 2 heart shaped bowls I picked up.  I think I’ve got enough to make it work!  We have an amazing amount of beautiful little birdies that hang out on the hill behind our house…we all just love to watch them.  I have wanted to put out some bird feeders & I think this little project will be the perfect solution!  The bonus is the kids will be able to participate in the creation…and it is pretty inexpensive (major BONUS!).  So my plan is to make the birdseed mixture sometime on Sunday, let the molds sit overnight (you only need to wait 2-3 hours), then after school on Valentine’s Day we’ll climb the hill & hang ’em…FUN!…weather permitting (ugh!).

You know how I feel about cooking…so I’m thinking I will make the kids one of their favorites…rice crispy treats, heart shaped, of course!  Yet another use for the heart shaped muffin pan (not giving up yet!)…maybe this post should be called 101 uses for a heart shaped muffin pan LOL….I also want to use it to make strawberry muffins that morning for breakfast.  I have found plenty of these elusive heart shaped pans online, but never dreamed it would be so hard to find one locally…I still have a few stores to check *fingers crossed*.  Perhaps I’ll make individual heart shaped pizzas for the kids’ dinner…I’ll probably buy the dough, reserving my skills for Mommy & Daddy’s dinner 😉 .

I have an extra special dinner planned for after the kiddies go to bed…last year, my darling husband had moved cross country…I had Valentine’s Day dinner with my mother-in-law.  We had a great time, just weird not having him with me.  One of his favorite dishes is Lobster Bisque (yummmmmmmm!), so I’m planning to make that as the starter, followed by pepper crusted filet mignon with grilled asparagus and my jalapeno hollandaise…it is morning & I’m totally salivating, you?  I’m skipping the starchy side…we’re watchin’ the carbs LOL.  The jalapeno hollandaise is a creation based on the sauce from one of my all-time favorite restaurants, The Rokerij in Phoenix (no, I didn’t misspell the name).  They serve this jalapeno hollandaise that is ‘smack your momma good’…I simply HAD to figure it out, especially moving cross country where I’d be lucky to eat there twice a year.  If you are ever in Phoenix…you MUST go eat there…AMAZING FOOD…FABULOUS ATMOSPHERE…GROOVY BAR…just go, then remember to come back here & thank me 😉 . 

Stay tuned for the recipes (of course I’m going to tell you how to make the jalapeno hollandaise!)…

So, that is my little plan for Valentine’s day…I’m hoping we make some special memories.

Today’s secret revealed…I will be cooking that mouth-watering dinner in my ‘will cook for shoes’ apron, while prancing around in heels…freshly painted toes, of course.

Super Bowl Party…Part III

Posted on by February 3, 2011

Finally…let’s talk about the drinks! My former Mexican theme was really driven by the drink recipe I’m about to share…I know many of you are dying to know the secret of the ANKarita. What is an ANKarita? Well it is the most delicious version of a margarita that will ever hit your lips. Why is it called an ANKarita? Well that is a bit of a story…

My step-dad, aka Pappy, came up with this concoction & it needed a name. This was a few years ago, I believe the twins were around 3 years old…Luke has quite the little attitude at times, and when he would get angry at someone…he called them an ‘ANK’…I think this was his own little cuss word. I can see it playing out in my head: Daddy & the boys wrestling, Luke rears back and whacks his Dad while saying (through a laugh) ‘take that you ANK!’. So the ANKarita was born. He doesn’t really say ANK anymore, but his phrase lives on LOL. Now he says things like ‘awwww, tartar sauce’ or ‘you jelly!’ (can you say Spongebob?).

Now, this recipe is for a half-gallon of mixer…you add the tequila & orange liquer ‘to taste’ & at your own risk LOL. ***CAUTION this mixer is so divine & disguises the potency of the liquor…it will sneak up on ya!

Because I’m not sure that the ANKarita really melds with my theme (it IS South-western though 😉 )…& I have been known to drink them with many different food fares…you can’t go wrong with beer (duh!) OR my very favorite summertime adult beverage: SWEET TEA VODKA (has to be FireFly vodka) and lemonade (splurge & get the good stuff!)…I call it an Arnold Palmer with a kick (you decide how big the kick is 😉 ).  It just screams summertime, so it would really help counteract this gloomy weather we’re having…watch this one, too…you won’t even realize you’re having an adult beverage!

PLEASE remember to drink responsibly!  No drinking & driving!

Download the printable version of the recipe cards here…ENJOY!

For my friends in the South…home of ‘Blue Laws’, don’t forget to get your drink supplies by Saturday (before 7pm!)…for my friends in AZ, we can’t buy alcohol here on Sundays…or after 7pm anyday…AND we have to go to a liquor store…no liquor in the grocery here…talk about havin’ to get used to something LOL.

Today’s secret revealed…the ANKarita recipe is the secret ;)!

Super Bowl Party…Part II

Posted on by February 2, 2011

Well, you didn’t really think I could have any kind of party-type series that didn’t talk about food, did you? So, I had originally planned on doing a Mexican theme for the food, then I thought…why not Southern??? So today, I’m making Brunswick Stew…YUMMMMMMMM! I tell my kids that it is BBQ soup, if you aren’t familiar with this Southern delight. Surprisingly easy to make, will feed a crowd…you can double it (or triple) if needed…and a nice change of pace from the usual chili. The other bonus for this recipe, is you can totally use short-cuts…like buy the shredded pork from your favorite BBQ place…or use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery. I’m using some left-over pork & turkey (instead of chicken) that I froze with making Brunswick Stew in mind :). This is really more of a method, because you can freely substitue, delete, & add most of the items…I’ll be sure to let you know which are necessary. Most of the method involves the phrase ‘to taste’…so add a little, then more until it gets to your liking.

You’ll want to chop the potatoes and onions into bite-sized pieces…

This is going to give you the impression that I am organized LOL…the frozen, ready-to-go chopped pulled pork, chopped turkey (we pulled it, too LOL), & homemade chicken stock.  I defrosted the stock in my microwave & added the meats to the pot frozen!  I told you this was easy!

Sling it in the pot with the potatoes & onions…add in the tomatoes…

I let it simmer until the potatoes were almost tender before adding in the BBQ sauce, vinegar & ketchup…

Corn goes in with just enough time to heat thoroughly before serving…it will stick to the pot if you’re not careful…

I LOVE it with cornbread (what don’t I love cornbread with?)…I’ve shared this recipe before…don’t forget to preheat the skillet!

Smell that?  I wish you could!

Okay, if Brunswick Stew isn’t floating your boat…you can read about how to make ordinary tacos extraordinary here, they will feed a crowd, too.

***Be sure to stay tuned…I will be posting printable copies of the recipes with the final installment of the Super Bowl Party…beverages!***

Today’s secret revealed…whenever I make Brunswick Stew, I always picture my Grannie around a cauldron (literally, LOL) with her aunts (Francis & Vera) cooking this very same thing…that was quite a sight!  This particular recipe I shared is compliments of my mother-in-law, who (to my knowledge) has never cooked in a cauldron LOL.

Super Bowl Party…Part I

Posted on by January 27, 2011

I think everyone knows I love college football…pro, not so much.  I do, however, love a fun Super Bowl party (who doesn’t).  I am really trying to care about this match-up…my husband is pretty much like me when it comes to pro football.  He asked me last Saturday ‘how good are you at faking it?’  I was puzzled, to say the least.  He proceeded to explain that Georgia’s bowl game left him completely unfulfilled…and watching the BCS Championship alone in Peru, well it was less than ideal.  He and I decided that we would choose an AFC and an NFC  team to put our collective football enthusiasm behind for the play-offs.  One of them came through for us, so that is who we are pulling for on Super Bowl Sunday…without telling, their logo is VERY familiar to us ;).  So, I am mustering as much enthusiasm as I can to watch these teams battle for who will reign supreme…it IS football, after all…and like pizza, even when it’s bad, it is still kinda good…and August is a looooooong way away.

One thing to contemplate, regardless of if you are hosting or a guest at the party, is WHAT TO WEAR.  You want to be comfortable, but chic…casual, but fabulous…supportive of your team, without making a huge fashion blunder (step away from the ginormous sweatshirt and jersey).  I am going to enlighten you with some fabulous finds from Blake & Brady boutique.  They are in downtown Anderson, SC…but no worries if you aren’t local…visit their facebook page, find what you like…they ship it right to your door!  Their customer service is OUTSTANDING!  You can be in one of these outfits in time for the big bash.  Pretend I’m (with a little help from the girls at B&B) your personal shopper/stylist :).

Jeans…you simply can’t go wrong with a great pair of jeans.  The right pair will be comfortable AND totally flattering.  You can dress them up or dress ’em down…I love jeans… 

The first look, really can go either way…if you are a Steelers fan, I would say it leans your way more.

Now, if you want to be bold…the following  looks utilize the same key piece…a FABULOUS jacket.  Conveniently both of the teams have yellow in common, which is very on trend.  Think of the future post-Super Bowl possibilites with this jacket…simple white tee, fabulous accessories…totally chic!  I heart this jacket!

…and can you get more comfortable than leggings???  Not unless you’re in your jammies (like I said, step away from the ginormous sweatshirt!).  These 3 looks totally satisfy my “3 C’s of fashion”…Current, Comfortable, & Confident. 

Thanks to the fabulous Jennifer for not only putting these looks together, but modeling them too!

What are you wearing Super Bowl Sunday???

Today’s secret revealed…when you’re having your picture taken, don’t forget ‘the pose’!  Yes, candid & natural is awesome…but when you go to post them on facebook, you’ll thank me for reminding you to stand up straight, suck it in & put the hand closest to the camera on your hip (makes it look slimmer…who knew!?!).

Pizza Night!

Posted on by January 28, 2011

Pizza is one of those things…when it’s good…it’s really good…and when it’s bad…it’s still kinda good.  I’m no pizza snob, I’ve been known to devour an entire Totino’s…but I love a good pie (to use one of the tolerable yankee slangs).  My all-time favorite place for pizza is Mellow Mushroom…heavenly goodness!  And their Greek dressing…to die for!  There was this spot in the PHX called Nello’s that filled the void Mellow Mushroom left when we moved from the ATL…then, of course, right before we moved out of PHX…the ‘Shroom moved in *sigh*.  Anyhoo…Nello’s had very creative combinations of toppings AND they made a whole wheat dough…perfect for the South Beach diet days (well, perfect for my version anyway…more like the Redneck Riviera diet).  My favorite pizza at Nello’s was the Murphy…bacon & onions…YUM!  I’m carmelizing my onions with some garlic & I’ll be adding some blue cheese crumbles…and if I’m feeling all spicy, maybe some jalapenos…double YUM!

I thought that the kids would have fun if we made our own pizzas…dough & all.  Now, tonight I am defiling myself with regular flour, but I have done this with whole wheat before…pretty darn good.  I use a recipe from the October 1997 issue of Martha Stewart Living.  Can I tell you what a kick it was to peruse that magazine today, before the boys got home?  Martha with ‘french cuffed’ jeans (we knew them as ‘pegged’ back in the day)…LOL!  The ‘cutting edge’ appliance ads…it was fun.  Lots of the decor and tips were surprisingly relevant…Martha has that timeless style (except with the jeans).  Does anyone find it odd that I have the whole magazine?  I mentioned that I’m really quirky about paper…books & magazines are no exception.  I did fold the page with the pizza method in half…not dog-eared…that is a pet peeve of mine…I can’t help it!  I’m weird, I know.  There are tons of dough recipes, but what can I say…if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.  The whole point for me was to prepare a dinner that the kids could have a big hand in :).

October 1997…I love that garland :).

The boys…see why I wonder when 7 became the new 13?  Ethan perked up & had fun…eventually.  I can’t keep a shirt on Luke.

Owen…’welcome to my cookin’ show CHEF COOKS & we are makin’ pizza!’…he is such a crack-up.  When we were ready to start, he RAN upstairs to get his chef hat :).

She really had fun!  Kinda glad she took off the black outfit LOL.

Move over…I can’t see…MOM!  Ahhhhh, brotherly love.

He’s so proud of his creation…it even put a smile on his face :).

My pizza masterpiece…I wasn’t feeling the jalapenos tonight, but when I got a bite that had the bacon, onion & blue cheese all at once…YUMMMMMMMMMM!

Today’s secret revealed…maybe it isn’t that big of a secret, but most pizza places will sell you dough balls for pretty cheap…great if you’re having, say a build your own pizza party.

Linking up to Serenity Now’s Bloggy Party!
Weekend Bloggy Reading

Progress?

Posted on by January 21, 2011

So, my plan is in place…I didn’t quite complete all of my assigned tasks, but I made major improvements!  I learned something about myself…I just need to write it all down, lay it out…when everything has a time, then I know when I should expect to do it & it helps me not stress over what isn’t done…because I have a plan to do it.  I felt much less overwhelmed by having a plan.  I think my next step is to add in, maybe twice a week, something I want to organize.  Again, a plan will help me stay on task (I hope!).  I don’t want to overwhelm myself by having a project everyday, but if I choose to do the play room/Ethan’s room and maybe the coat closet next week, hopefully I can accomplish those 2 things.  I am really bad about starting one project & getting side-tracked by 10 others.  I am also really bad about making a pile for donation…and not taking them…then the kids start pulling stuff out & before I realize what has happened all of the purging has gone down the tubes.  So that little playroom plan will need to be followed the next day with a trip to Goodwill…write that down (did you hear Van Wilder’s voice…I did).

I have enlisted my BFF to be my schedule buddy…so now I am not only going to be accountable to the schedule, but to her, too!  When I don’t get something done, I will have to shamefully admit it. 

My hubby said that 2010 was the year of Change, and that 2011 is going to be the year of Improvement (I love it when he philosophizes LOL)…I hope I see REAL improvements in my organization skills & home keeping.

Today’s secret revealed…I printed and laminated my schedule…I may have clutter, but I can’t stand messy writing & erasing things (they never go all the way away!), and I got some dry erase markers to use on it.  Someone once offered to purchase my notes from my Microbiology class because they were so neat & organized…I know, its hard for me to believe, too…that’s why I kept some of my notebooks…to remind myself that I can be neat & organized.

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