Remember these?

How true is this? These ice pops were my favorite growing up!

I'm back...with a delicious recipe!

This weekend I was away with Thomas' Mom at a girls weekend with her sisters and nieces. We had a blast being together laying by the pool, swimming, hanging out and of course eating. One of the ladies made the recipe below as an appetizer on Saturday night and it was love at first bite! Make these for your next party and I promise they will be gone in a blink of an eye!

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

20 whole Fresh Jalapenos, 2-3 Inches In Size
2 cubes Cream Cheese, softened
2 cups, Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 pound Thin(regular) Bacon, Sliced Into Thirds

Directions

If you have them, slip on some latex gloves for the pepper prep... Cut jalapenos in half, length-wise. With a spoon, remove the seeds and white membrane (the source of the heat; leave a little if you like things HOT). Smear softened cream cheese into each jalapeno half and sprinkle cheddar cheese on top. Wrap jalapeno with bacon pieces (1/3 slice). Secure by sticking toothpick through the middle.

Bake on a pan with a rack in a 375-degree oven for 20-25 minutes. You don’t want the bacon to shrink so much it starts to the squeeze the jalapeno. If, after 20 minutes, the bacon doesn’t look brown enough, just turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes to finish it off. These are best when the jalapeno still has a bit of bite to it.
Serve immediately, or they’re also great at room temperature.

ENJOY!

Mustard

This mustard is delicious! I first discovered it on a turkey sandwich I ordered from the Gourmet Shoppe. I kept raving about the mustard my Mom surprised me by asking what mustard they use and bought me a jar. I don't make sandwiches at home on a regular basis, but I discovered I like dipping pretzels in the mustard for a snack!

This is a "uniquely sharp" mustard with a little bit of spice! It is absolutely delicious and has just enough zing to liven up any sandwich or make a great snack.

Happy Monday!

P.S. sorry for the terrible iPhone pictures recently, I've been all over the place I can't even remember to bring my camera!

Warm Orzo Salad with Peas & Feta

Here's a long lost recipe that I haven't made in just as long as the Grilled Chicken with Spinach & Pine Nut Pesto recipe I shared with you last week. Anyways, that's not the point, the point is this a deliciously light salad that is perfect year around, however I am sharing the it now because I think it's the perfect recipe for the warmer months since it's very light and tangy, I hope you enjoy!

Warm Orzo Salad with Peas & Feta
Sandra Lee

Ingredients

8 ounces orzo
2 cups frozen early peas
¼ cup olive oil and vinegar dressing
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 (4 ounce) package garlic and herb crumbled feta

Directions

In large pot of boiling, salted water, cook orzo per package directions. When orzo is al dente, remove from heat and add frozen peas to cooking water. Let sit for 1 minute.

Drain and transfer to a serving bowl.

Stir in remaining ingredients. Serve warm.

ENJOY!

Summer Fruits

It's my favorite time of the year, especially for fruit! With the temperatures already reaching the upper 90's I spend most of my Summer months craving chilled thirst quenching fruit. My favorites include watermelon, blueberries, raspberries, cantaloupe & fresh cherries. I can eat a pint of blueberries in one sitting and the same goes for raspberries! I love nothing more than having a seedless watermelon cut up in a bowl in the frig to snack on whenever I want. If you couldn't already tell, Summer is by far my favorite fruit season! Time to dig in and stay hydrated.

What's your favorite Summer fruit?

Mediterranean Turkey Meat Loaf

Call me weird, call me piggy, call me whatever you want, but I love some meatloaf! Now it can't just be meatloaf from any old place, I prefer homemade and I don't like any kind of sauce on top either. When I came across this recipe in the May issue of Self magazine and knew I had to give it a try!

Mediterranean Turkey Meat Loaf

Ingredients

1lb. ground turkey

reduced-fat feta cheese

baby spinach

chopped onion

whole-grain bread crumbs

garlic clove

ground coriander, cumin, & black pepper.

Directions:

Combine 1lb ground turkey with 2 eggs, 2oz reduced-fat feta, 3/4 cup chopped baby spinach, 1/3 cup chopped onion, 1/4 cup whole-grain breadcrumbs, 1 chopped garlic clove, 1/2 tsp each ground coriander, cumin, black pepper. Form into a loaf; bake at 350 degrees until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees, about 40 minutes.

ENJOY!

Addy's Hummus Dip

Addy, one of Thomas' roommates, made the most delicious hummus dip for our Superbowl party and I just knew it would become one of my favorite dips to take to parties. I am a hummus freak, I absolutely love it, so much so I think I could just eat it by the spoonful. Just call me Crazy!

Addy's Hummus Dip

Ingredients:

(1) container of Sabra Garlic Hummus

(1) seedless cucumber, cut in to quarters

(1) container grape tomatoes, cut in to quarters

(1) container feta cheese

Olive Oil

Pita Chips

Directions:

Open container of Sabra hummus and stir contents until well mixed. Cut cucumber and tomatoes in to quarters. Add container of feta cheese to the bowl of chopped cucumber and tomatoes. Drizzle olive oil over the cucumber, tomatoes, and cheese, tossing gently. Line the bottom of your serving dish with the entire container of well mixed hummus. Spread the mixture of cucumbers, tomatoes, and cheese on top of the hummus and serve with pita chips.

ENJOY!

How easy? I know it doesn't sound like anything special, but it sure is delicious and there has never been any left when I've taken it to parties!

You Guys Want Some Cookies?

So I learned something last week. Over dinner one night Thomas lights up and says guess what I ordered today?!

Me: No clue, WHAT?!

Thomas: Girl Scout COOKIES!!!!!!!!

Me: YUMMMM! What kind did you order?

Thomas: Thin Mints and the carmel kind with chocolate drizzled on top.

Me: What kind are those?

Thomas: You know the good ones, in the purple box

Me: The kind I like in the purple box are called Somoas.

Thomas: I ordered something called Carmel deLites, those aren't Somoas?

Me: I don't think so, I would ask to change your order tomorrow.

Thomas: Okay, will you remind me?


Being the good girlfriend that I am, ha, actually I just happened to remember to remind him, he went and changed his order, or so I thought until our phone conversation that night. Come to find out Girl Scout cookies have different names in different parts of the country? I had no idea!!!


Am I really that clueless? Someone please tell me I'm not the only one!

Weekend Recap

We had a very eventful weekend and we are of course sad to see it go. Friday's weather was cold and rainy, so Thomas and I went to a local favorite for some comfort food; cheese fries and pizza. Let's get one thing straight, these cheese fries aren't just any cheese fries. I'm sure you are thinking fries with runny cheese dip poured over the fries that then turn soggy before you even get your hands on them. Not these cheese fries! The Whig's cheese fries go a little something like this: a large bowl full of fries with a variety of shredded cheeses melted on top with a side of ketchup and ranch. Can we say comfort food heaven?

Saturday night we attended a couples stock the bar shower for our friends Christi & Jake who are tying the knot this May! We had a fun time celebrating with them as well as fabulous time at the party with several of our friends who came in from out of town. Saturday night brought back memories of being in college and all of us being in the same place!

My camera was MIA all weekend, which is unfortunate since I really meant to take a picture of the gift we gave Christi & Jake. Before Christmas I found a cozy faux fur wine/liquor bag from Pottery Barn that I knew would be perfect for their shower especially since it was during the cold winter months and these napkins at a local boutique back home in Baltimore.

We filled the faux fur bag with a bottle of liquor and I wrapped the napkins in clean cellophane with a ribbon and used the tie from the faux fur bag to attach the napkins to the bag. I love giving gifts and I think the best gifts to give are the ones you want to keep for yourself!

Thanks to Bess, Lindsey, Katie, & Kelley for hosting a wonderful shower!

An the icing on the cake was watching the Super Bowl with some close friends and seeing the Packers W-I-N!!!!!!!!

Happy Monday y'all!

Chorizo and Grits

Happy Monday Y'all! We had an amazing weekend and I'll be back tomorrow with more on that! In the meantime, I wanted to share another delicious recipe Thomas found from Real Simple Magazine, no he doesn't read Real Simple, he just found the recipe online! I received locally made grits in my Christmas gift basket from work and we debated on what we wanted to make them with and this recipe sounded perfect since the week before we purchased chorizo at our local farmers market. Caw Caw Creek offers a variety of organic, free-range, hormone-free pork, which I am all about. If you've never had grits before, you're missing out, this is your excuse to try them and I promise you will be happy you did! Oh and before I let you go, there is nothing spicy about this recipe other then the chorizo and you know me I am the biggest wimp when it comes to spicy, this recipe just has good flavor!

Spicy Grits with Chorizo, Leeks, and Corn

Recipe by Real Simple

Ingredients

2 Spanish chorizo (cured sausage), sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 leeks (white and light green parts), thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
kosher salt and pepper
1/2 cup grits or polenta
2 cups corn kernels, fresh (from 4 ears) or thawed frozen
1 large bunch spinach, tough stems removed


Directions

1.Cook the chorizo over medium-high heat in a large saucepan until browned, about 3 minutes. Spoon off and discard any fat.
2.Add the leeks and garlic and cook, stirring until slightly soft, about 2 minutes.
3.Add the tomatoes and their liquid, 2 cups water, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil.
4.Stir in the grits. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until the grits are tender and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
5.Add the corn and spinach and cook, stirring, just until the spinach wilts. Divide among individual bowls.

ENJOY!

Smart Snacking

I'm just going to put it out there, I love candy, especially Haribo gummi bears. Thomas certainly knows the way to my heart. He stuffed my stocking full with over 100 mini packs of Haribo gummi bears, I'm one happy girl. I seriously was and still am in Haribo heaven. Admitting I have a several sugar cravings daily, I know I can make better snack choices besides sugar and pretzels, my other weakness. I eat lots of fruits and veggies but sometimes I am looking for something else.

I've tried eating more nuts, especially almonds because I know they are good for you. You might remember, this post about a coworker introducing me to cocoa coated almonds, but I quickly lost interest in those. Since then, I've been in search for a replacement and I know I've finally found what I've been looking for all this time: sprouted almonds. Although almonds are expensive, I am willing to pay the price for these. What I enjoy so much about sprouted almonds is they taste like they are lightly salted, but they aren't!

I'm addicted for now and honestly I can't see myself ever giving up these up! What is one of your favorite healthy snacks?

Happy Monday!

Two Delicious Dinners

Friday night Thomas and I tried a sushi restaurant we had never been to before, but heard a lot of great things about it! This restaurant isn't what you would expect from its location or by the building itself, but after all these years and not knowing any better, we re-learned an age old lesson: you never judge a book by its cover. And I'm so glad we finally gave it a try, because it is without a doubt is the best sushi I've ever tasted and I think Thomas would agree.

Take a look at this...a picture says a 1000 words.

Saturday night we had dinner reservations at another restaurant in town, Garibaldi's Cafe. The restaurant is one of our favorite places and was absolutely jam packed Saturday night. It's restaurant week in SC, thanks Bess for informing me! and even though Garibaldi's wasn't participating, I think everyone had cabin fever from the snow storm that hit us earlier in the week so everyone was out and about over the weekend.


I can say our meals this weekend surely didn't disappoint and as Thomas said after dinner on Saturday night, "I wish we could eat like this every night!"

Spice It Up!

I'm back with another delicious recipe from Men's Health to share with y'all today! We made this for dinner on Sunday night and I really enjoyed this recipe. I was a little nervous at first because Thomas told me how spicy the sauce for the beef was the first time he made this recipe for himself and in case you didn't know, I'm a big wimp when it comes to spicy food. We used sriracha as the chili sauce and I doubled all the other sauce ingredients which calmed the heat from the sriracha and made for a delicious sauce with just enough kick. In addition to the wraps, we made rice noodles with mushrooms, bean sprouts, and carrots in the wok. If you are looking for something different to try I promise this recipe will not disappoint!

Thai Beef Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

12 oz flank, skirt, or sirloin steak
1 Tbsp chili sauce (we like sriracha)
1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp fish sauce
½ red onion, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Limes, cut into wedges
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1 head Bibb lettuce, washed and dried, leaves separated

Directions:

1. Heat the grill or grill pan over high heat for at least 5 minutes. Season the steak with salt and pepper and toss it on. Cook for about 4 minutes on each side, until it's firm but yielding to the touch. Let it rest for 5 minutes.

2. Combine the chili sauce, fish sauce, and juice of one lime in a small saucepan over low heat.

3. Slice the steak thinly (if it's skirt or flank steak, be sure to cut against the grain) and drizzle half of the warm sauce over it. Set out the jalapeno and onion slices, cilantro, carrot, lettuce, and remaining lime wedges and sauce. Use the leaves like tortillas to wrap up the steak slices with the other ingredients. (Save some lime and sauce to use on your wrap as you eat).

ENJOY!

Eat Mor Chikin

I'm back with another delicious recipe from Men's Health. Thomas has been finding scrumptious recipes on their website, you want to what makes the recipes even better? Not only are they easy to make and don't require off the wall ingredients that we will use one time, but they are healthy!

Chicken Cacciatorie

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil
8 boneless chicken thighs (or a combination of thighs and drumsticks)**
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp crushed red-pepper flakes
10-12 green or black olives, pitted and roughly chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 lb roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan on high. Season the thighs with salt and pepper and add them to the skillet, skin side down. Cook, turning occasionally, until they're deeply brown and crisp on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove them from the pan.

2. Lower the heat. Add the bell pepper, onion, garlic, pepper flakes, and olives. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Pour in the wine; simmer, stirring occasionally, until the wine nearly evaporates, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the stock, tomatoes, and chicken, tucking it skin side up into the vegetables. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium heat for another 20 minutes, until the chicken is nearly falling off the bone and the sauce is reduced by half. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle on the parsley. Makes 4 servings

**We used organic boneless skinless chicken thighs.

ENJOY!

Girls Weekend!

Last weekend my Mom came in to town and we had so much fun together as usual! We went to lunch Friday at one of our favorite spots, the Gourmet Shoppe then spent the afternoon shopping in Columbia . We have several favorite shops we like to go to from antique stores to locally own boutiques. Shopping locally has a lot of offer not to mention you avoid the crowds of the chain retailers and they offer one of a kind gifts. Friday evening we met Thomas for dinner at Cantina76, my Mom was craving Mexican so what better place to take her! We had a very enjoyable dinner together enjoying drinks, appetizers and of course our meal. Once we got home we didn’t stay up much later because we decided it would be best to get some good sleep before our big shopping trip the next day.

Saturday morning we were up and off to Charleston ! I know many of you have heard me say before; Charleston is one of our favorite places. We were so excited; we could hardly stand the 2 hour car ride! It has been a chilly week or so here in the Southeast and last Saturday was no different, thank goodness we were planning on going in and out of shops all day long to stay warm. For as many years we have been visiting Charleston , we had never been at Christmas time. So this was a real treat for us and seeing the Charleston Place all decorated was exciting!

Train Garden

Christmas Tree

After taking in some of the Christmas sights, we started our day of shopping, but not before stopping at Starbucks for a caffeine fix. We spent most of the day going in and out of the shops that line King Street . We did take a break for lunch to refuel. We usually go to Blossoms for lunch, it’s our favorite lunch spot in Charleston , but since it was winter time and couldn’t sit outside we decided to go to Sermet’s Corner on King Street . The place was packed but we were lunch enough to get a table for two right by the front window! My lunch came with an order of sweet potato fries topped with Parmesan cheese, oh my goodness were they delicious, we couldn’t stop talking and we still can’t about how good they were!

After lunch we did some more shopping and stopped for a praline as our afternoon treat. That evening we rested up since Sunday was our last day together. Sunday we went to church and had lunch, frozen yogurt with lots of toppings to be exact, it sure was tasty! We went to a few more shops around town before it was time to leave for the airport.

Miss T and I hate when the weekends she comes to visit come to an end, we always have so much fun together! The nice part about saying goodbye this time was that we will be together again for the holidays real soon!

Go Fish!

Here's another delicious Men's Health recipe that Thomas found, which I mentioned in this post. We made this for dinner on Sunday night and it turned out to be so tasty!

Blackened Catfish with Mango Salsa

Ingredients:

2 snapper, catfish, or tilapia fillets, 4–5 oz each (we used catfish)
1 mango (skin and seed removed), cut into cubes
1 ripe avocado (skin and pit removed), cut into cubes
Juice of one lime
1 Tbsp blackening spices
1/4 c minced onion
1/2 c chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Combine the mango, avocado, lime juice, onion, and cilantro in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Preheat a large sauté or grill pan over high heat and add enough oil to coat it.

3. Rub the fish with enough of the blackening spice to thoroughly cover each side. When the oil is hot (almost smoking), carefully add the fillets to the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until a nice, dark crust has developed. The fish is done when it flakes easily with light pressure from your finger.

4. Top each fillet with the mango salsa.


Serve with brown rice and black beans, we added corn too and it was delicious! This recipe was so refreshing and light and even though it might seem like a summer recipe, I think it is a great recipe for year around. You know how I feel about mango's (love) so that might have something to do with it.

ENJOY!

On another note, Miss T and I have one of our most favorite visitors coming in to town today for the weekend. We couldn't sleep last night we are so excited!

I hope y'all have a fabulous weekend!

This Recipe Will Make You Lick Your Chops!

This recipe is unbelievably delicious! Thomas has been finding some great recipes on Men's Health and this recipe is one of them. We made these pork chops last night for dinner and I am still thinking about them today, what does that tell ya? With the pork chops we steamed fresh asparagus and seasoned it with salt and pepper. As for the chops, you must try this recipe, I know it will become one of your favorites if you do! It is easy to make and the flavors mixed with the apples and chops is absolutely delightful. Oh and if you are skeptical about the grainy mustard on top the chops, don't be, it makes the dish!

Apple-Topped Chops

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil
1 small garlic clove, crushed
2 thin-cut boneless pork chops
1 small red apple, such as Gala or Red Delicious, cored and diced*
2 tsp balsamic or red-wine vinegar*
1 tbsp bourbon
1 tbsp grainy mustard*
salt and pepper

*We used a Gala Apple, balsamic vinegar and Inglehoffer stone ground mustard


Directions

Combine the oil and garlic in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place the pork chops in the center of the skillet. Toss the apple with the vinegar and bourbon, and then add the mixture to the skillet between the pork and the edges of the pan. Cook for 6 minutes, turning the pork once and the apple pieces a few times. When ready to serve, top the pork with mustard. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


ENJOY!

P.S.- This mustard is the BOMB!

Turkey Day!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

We are hosting Thanksgiving dinner at my parents house this year and my Mom and I are busy preparing for the big meal! I can't wait to see my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins and spend the evening with each other, laughing until our stomachs ache! Oh and Thanksgiving morning isn't complete without catching a glimpse of the Thanksgiving parade.

I wish each and everyone of you and your family and friends a very joyful and happy Thanksgiving! Safe travels where the day may take you.

Sausage Casserole

Do you have recipes you make, but don't eat? That's how I am with breakfast casseroles. I like eggs, sausage, bread, milk, etc. but I don't like all these ingredients together in a casserole or sandwich form, it grosses me out. Not to ruin an absolutely fabulous recipe or so everyone says and I believe it, because there are never any leftovers!

I know many of you are probably enjoying some time off around the holidays with family and friends and entertaining more then usual. This breakfast casserole recipe is not only easy peasy, but it is something you can do the night before and pop in the oven the next morning, so you have more time for dishes that require last minute attention.

Sausage Casserole

Ingredients:

6 slices of cubed bread

1 lb. cooked and crumbled sausage

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

8 eggs

2 cups of milk

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dry mustard

Directions:

In a bowl slightly beat 8 eggs, add eggs to 2 cups of milk, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp dry mustard. Poor egg mixture over ingredients in dish and cover. Refrigerate overnight. Remove cover and bake at 150 degrees for 35 minutes.

ENJOY!

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

This is another delicious recipe from Thomas' Mom! I couldn't have been more excited to use my crock pot for the first time this season last week and I of course had to share this recipe with you as it is one of my favorite meals during the fall and winter months. Not to mention, it is scary how easy this recipe is!

Recipe for Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients

2lbs. Beef Tips

1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 Can Cream of Celery Soup

1 Package Dry Onion Soup Mix

1 (8oz.) Package of Extra Wide Egg Noodles

Directions:

Place beef tips in slow cooker. Combine remaining ingredients and add to beef tips. Cook overnight (I do mine during the day while I'm at work) on low heat.

Serve over extra wide egg noodles, cooked according to package directions.

ENJOY!

**Sorry there is not a picture of the finished product, I completely forgot in the midst of my hunger pains!