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It's a happy, happy Friday around here! Last evening we had some really nasty storms roll through the area and that's never an enjoyable thing. It was just me and my youngest guy here, so we decided the best way to ride out the storm was to gather some good reading material, and snuggle in with a chocolate cookie or two. I pulled out this tired and true recipe and within 20 minut
I know it's not really time for peaches to be ready but I just couldn't resist myself when I saw a few of the first fruits of season at the farmers market. I am so thankful that I live in a part of the country that produces this sweet, juicy fruit. North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia all have their own unique varieties and it's always so much fun to taste, cook and explore what
I am one happy girl when I try a new recipe and things turn out great. It's even better when a recipe exceeds my expectations like this one did. It's been a long time since I'd made zucchini bread but with some of those veggies hanging out on my counter needing to be cooked, I decided to give it a try. Goodness gracious, this bread is so moist has rich flavor from the cinnam
This is a recipe I tried, wanted to post last week but I got sucked into "it's the last week of school" vortex. The minutes, hours and days just slipped away and before I knew it, it was the weekend. It's OK though, because it was more fun than not. Yea...school IS OUT!With a beautiful roast in the crock pot and a green salad in the fridge, I needed a little something else to
It's the last week of school! Of course, everyone is just tickled around here and we've got lots of to do. Last night I sat down and got myself organized for the week and wrote out a menu plan. I 'm also linking up with several other bloggers who've posted their menu plans and recipes. Here's my menu along with links to a few of the recipes I'll be using.Have a great week,
Weather - Perfect.Burgers - Fat and Happy.Grill - Hot. Guacamole - Rich, Creamy, Spicy.I had a bowl of ripe avocados sitting on my counter and with some onion, lime and a few other ingredients, I had something special made in no time flat. Just add crunchy chips...done.To finish - add 1 hungry family, 1 table ready for food, a blessing, conversation and lots of laughter.Guacamole
Everyone around here has "Senior-itis" that crazy disease that comes on at the end of the school year. You know, when senior students just want to get out of school and DO NOT want to write one more paper or take one more test! Well, even students in lower grades get this ailment. Over the past few days, my guys have to go through end of grade testing and exams so yesterday I pro
Last week I stopped by a local farm stand to pick up some fresh strawberries and was happy to see they had other vegetables for sale. I bought some lettuce and could not resist the squash. I love yellow squash and it brings back so many great memories of when I was a little girl. Stewed squash was always on the table at Sunday lunch. It was thick, buttery and tasted like su
We come, not to mourn our dead soldiers, but to praise them. Francis Amasa WalkerWishing everyone a happy, fun and safe Memorial Day. I am so grateful that I live in this great country with a wonderful family and great friends. Thank you to those who have answered the call to defend and protect us...I am counting my blessing this day.
A couple of weeks ago I had a few girls over for a get together. We had lots to talk about and a couple of events to celebrate so I knew we were gonna have fun. I had some nice wine, something savory and a little something sweet and then I brought this to the table...First you get the sweet smell of the warm onions, then you see the puffy pastry along with the melted cheese - oh my gos
It's time friends. I've got to be honest about the food we eat around here. Not everyone "likes" what I cook and over the years we've had a couple of "issues" but thankfully, nothing big. My boys have been trained quite well by Mr. A Southern Soul on how to share their feelings on a dish I've prepared. They are gracious, meaning they always start off with a sincere complime
Yippee! It's the weekend so I decided to treat my guys to a little something sweet. A couple of weeks ago I made homemade strawberry jam and still had a little in the fridge. I started thinking of all the different ways I could use it and settled on cookies. Most of us think of jam cookies around Christmas time, but they are so stinking good, I just had to make a batch. &nb
If you are short on time but need a dish that's full of flavor, well, here's the answer! This couscous recipe takes less than 20 minutes to make and is loaded with a crunchy, lemony taste. May is always a crazy month for us with end of the school year right around the corner, band concerts, sports tournaments and trying to get everything done around the house...goodness, are
Just in time for all the beautiful strawberries that are available, here's a quick and really easy recipe. I've made this jam for several years now and our family just loves it. During strawberry season, I make a few batches and freeze in small containers. Slather it on your morning toast, pancakes or waffles. It's also great warmed up and drizzled on ice cream. Happy Spring, y'a
As promised, I am sharing a few of the recipes from my events at the recent Furniture Market in High Point, NC. It may seem strange to think about muffins and furniture but during the very crazy, busy, exciting Friday morning sales event for my clients...everyone needed a little something! Whew. With a cup of coffee and one of these moist, lemony muffins made with fresh blue
This quick snack is so crazy it's almost embarrassing...but I just had to share! I came up with borrowed this after seeing something similar on a restaurant menu. Well, for what they were charging for their appetizer you can make a whole tray full of these chips! Just grab a bag of sliced pepperoni from the grocery, bake until crunchy, make a little dip and you are good to g
I love, love, love tomatoes. No kidding, LOVE, but I have a confession to make...I'm a tomato snob. I don't eat them in the winter because they have no flavor and tend to be mealy. Ok - now that that's over, here's part two - I've found an answer to my problem! Small heirloom tomatoes. They are sweet and really delicious. I chose these tomatoes to be the star of
When I know times are gonna get hectic, like this past week, I try to get a jump on a few things for the family. I like to have several homemade dishes that the boys can pop in the toaster or microwave plus be time savers. I made a batch of these biscuits and they were just what we needed for an easy breakfast. They are really yummy toasted and when you add an egg with a little sausage
Well, I'm back! If you follow my updates on Facebook, you know that I've been busy working for a client at the International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, NC. Twice a year, the Triad (Greensboro, High Point &Winston Salem) turns into one big metropolitan city with buyers from all over the world coming to shop for the latest in home furnishings. It's an awesome, crazy
Hey friends, happy Monday! I hope y'all had a great weekend. We did and after a very busy time, there is no rest for the weary. My schedule for the next 10 days is CRAZY so I've been praying and looking for ways to make my life easier. Well, just in the nick of time, my blogging friend, Kendra of Fat Back and Foie Gras, asked me to join a board on Pinterest that has loads o
Springtime has finally arrived along with warmer weather. Those two things make me think of cooking outdoors and fresh salads. With those thoughts in mind, I combined several delicious ingredients that my family loves - grilled shrimp, bacon, and spinach. I turned these three into a wonderful salad that makes a complete meal. Just add a little crusty bread and you are done!
Hey Friends!I am thrilled to be a guest blogger today on Southern Bite. My friend, Stacey writes a wonderful food blog loaded with great recipes and cooking tips. Stacey was recently asked to write a cookbook and his schedule is crazy, so, low and behold, he asked me to give him a little help. It's been lots of fun teaming up with Stacey so head on over to Southern Bite and check
Oh well, spring break is over and it's time to get back on a regular schedule. With all the going's on we had around here last week, my fridge and pantry were almost empty, so yesterday I had to sit down and make a plan for restocking. I also made a list of recipes to try, healthy snacks to munch on and items for the boys lunch bags. Here's one of the snacks I decided on ~ Granol
I got a nice surprise this morning...4 dozen fresh eggs delivered to my back door by my friend, Anne and her sweet daughter, Amelia! They were all smiles as they handed over their eggs in these happy pink cartons. Don't you love them? I could not be happier and have a long list of recipes to make. I also want to make sure that I store these beautiful, fresh eggs correc
Easter is just a few days away and Spring Break has started! We need a little down time around here so I thought I'd kick things off by giving the boys a sweet treat. A marshmallow krispy treat dipped in white chocolate? Easter Bunny, you better watch out!White Chocolate Dipped Krispy Treats1/4 cup of butter - 1/2 stick10 oz. of marshmallows - the normal bag is 10.5 so just use t
One of the side dishes that will be on my Easter table this year is roasted carrots. To be honest, this is a dish I make about every other week and is a "standing request." I do mix it up a bit by adding different herbs, garlic and other veggies but the gold standard is roasted with honey, lemon, butter, salt and pepper. It may seem a little boring to some, which makes me holler
About once a week, I make some sort of tomato sauce to use in different dishes. I've got my tried and true Marinara but have needed to add something new. After a little research, I came across this wonderful recipe from Lidia Bastianich. I love her cookbooks and her philosophy on food. If you've ever watched her on PBS you know that Lidia has a signature phrase that sh
Tradition, food, special readings, family, reverence, friends, laughter and thankfulness are all words that come to mind when I think about Easter and Passover. The Seder Meal is very special to our Jewish brothers and sisters, and I am so thankful that my family has taken part in this beautiful meal with special friends the past two years. So, as we take our steps through Holy Week and prep
I am sure you all are just like me and have been waiting for the first day of spring. Even though I know deep down that we've got quite a few days of cold weather yet to experience, I don't care! There's just something about knowing that the calendar has changed and the Vernal Equinox has arrived...it makes me happy. Anticipating this good feeling, last weekend I hit the famers m
Early this morning, I got a call from one of the nicest people I've ever met and he asked me for some hospitality and refreshment help for an upcoming event. Of course, I said yes and then he kindly shared that the event is TONIGHT! Since there will be mostly adults for this get together, I called on my buddies from Caribou Coffee to help me with the beverages and then I got in
My sweet blog friends, Dawn and Cynthia invited me to co-host their Link-up Party!What a great way to start off the week, right?Here's how this works - just link up any of your great recipes, crafts, DIY projects and etsy shops!It's a lot of fun finding new friends, places to shop and ideas galore.Meet my buddies and hosts of In and Out of the Kitchen - Cynthia at Feeding Big and Da
With the last name of Mullins, you know there's more than a little Irish tradition around here. We do celebrate the day, especially since it's the Big Irishman's birthday - how crazy, right.? Anyway, to start off the weekend, I treated my boys to a warm loaf of Irish Soda Bread. It's so easy to make and truth be told, the Irishman likes it better than cornbread (oh m
This is not how I'd planned to start off my week. Earlier today, I got the dreaded call from school - "Mom, can you come pick me up, I'm sick." Of course I jumped in the car and head out to pick up my boy. Thank goodness it's not a major case of the yucky stuff but it is enough to keep him home for 24 hours. So, my job now is to get him comfy with warm food, something good
Happy Friday, friends! The sun is shinning and the weekend is finally here. I thought I'd bring a few rays of sunshine into my house with a little something sweet for my guys. It was an easy choice...pound cake plus lemons, what a great combination. I hope you all had a great week and have some fun things planned for the weekend. We do, and we just might start dinner
When it's time for salad, there is a clear winner for the dressing - homemade vinaigrette. It's fast, easy and provides huge flavors that the store bought stuff just doesn't compare to. We usually have some sort of salad for dinner at least 4 times a week and my youngest loves them for lunch which is why I had to figure out how to make it myself. Low cost with high rewards is wha
I know it, y'all know it...everybody knows it - potatoes cooked almost any way is comfort food at it's best. Besides that warm and comfortable feeling that potatoes produce is that other crazy thing - you can cook them a million different ways! Well, I stopped counting a long time ago and just made my own little "Top 10" list. Included on that list is stuffed baked potatoes or tw
I am so excited that one of my recipes will be published! Stacey Little of Southern Bite was recently awarded a cookbook contract and invited his readers to submit some of their favorite recipes. I jumped at the chance because I love his blog and his Southern style of cooking. Well, low and behold, A Southern Soul made it! Check out my winning recipe for Slow Cooker Party M
Yesterday, I was called on the carpet regarding desserts! Over the past few weeks, I've made several sweets for my family and a few for friends. There have been requests to make more chocolate pie and brownies then it happened...my one, very special one who does not like chocolate just told it. "Mom, I've been patient and quiet about this but I just have to speak out about all th
It's cold and miserable outside and I'm over it. Since I could potentially work myself into a sour mood, which I refuse to do, I am going to take action! I have so much to be thankful for, several projects that need attacking and a list of recipes to try. So, with a good "talking to" that I gave myself - I went shopping in my fridge and pantry & low and behold... I found all
I wish I could take full credit for this delicious pie, unfortunately I can't. What I can do is share the recipe and what my family thought. Yesterday, I made 2 of these pies. One for a friend and the other for us. In the afternoon, I delivered the pie to my friend and then headed back home. I entered the back door and looked on the counter to find that half my chocol
There is absolutely nothing like homemade pie crust! Rich buttery taste with layers of flaky goodness can make a grown man go week in the knees. I don't care whether the crust is used in a sweet or savory pie, it's all good. This pie crust is so easy, it kinda makes me laugh because the hard part is just remembering to make sure your "fats" are really, really cold. Make thi
I am so excited for my blog buddy, Stacey at Southern Bite. He recently announced that he has been asked to write a cookbook! I LOVE his blog and the recipes he shares are just wonderful so I know his cookbook is going to be great. One of the special things he's going as part of his book is including recipes from other friends and bloggers. So, come on, share your best reci
On this day that celebrates love, love, love, here's a quick and easy treat to make for your Valentine. Sending you lots of love and a great big ...Valentines Day Snack Mix3 cups or one bag of popcorn - popped2 cups of pretzels broken into pieces10 oz bag of white chocolate pieces - meltedred or pink food coloringcandy sprinklesPlace popcorn and pretzels in a large bowl.Melt chocolate in mic
Although not very glamorous, this kitchen gadget is a workhorse and one of my favorites. It's a knife magnet bar that is attached to the side of my cabinet and holds all of my knives. By placing the knives on the VERY strong magnet, they stay sharp, out of harms way(no digging in a drawer - ouch!) and are always within reach. It's the perfect helper for anyone who cooks A LOT. I
I don't know about y'all, but after making breakfast every Monday through Friday, the menu can get bor-ring. Not only do I get tired of fixing the same thing, I need food that I can put on the table in a hurry with as little fuss as possible. TA-DA...waffle iron to the rescue! I finally found the best Buttermilk Waffle recipe and the great thing is, you can make a BIG batch, free
It's finally here! I know, I know, many of you local Southern Soul friends have been waiting on me to write about these peas, especially if you tasted them at my New Year's cooking demonstration. With the big game coming up this weekend, I thought it would be the perfect time to share this recipe. Your family and friends will not believe what they are eating and what a great addition t
January 29th rolled around just like it does every year and I braced myself...my oldest turned 17! I know, I know, don't get weepy or sad, don't reminisce about him being a baby and don't tell him stories about things he's done in the past. Well, I must say, I am very proud of myself because I didn't do any of those things. It was truly a miracle because, I can cry at the first f
Some of the most simple things in life are the BEST and roasted garlic slathered on crunchy bread is at the top of my list! Ever since the weather turned colder, I've been making soups, stews and yummy warm dishes for my family. We love to have a little bread on the table but to be honest, that idea can get a little stale... get it? Sorry, I just had to.Anyway, back to the garlic
I just had to share this picture of the blooming Camellias from my yard. As you can see, they are snow covered! I have always loved this hearty blooming bush and have several planted in my yard. What a beautiful surprise they provide when the weather is cold and the sky is gray. I've included a link to Southern Living that will provide you with some great information so you
Over the past few months, I've received so many great questions about cooking and food. One of the most frequent..."what's your favorite thing in your kitchen?" Well, that's really hard to answer because I have several. So, I decided to share a few, starting with one of my TOP 3! I use a Lazy Susan to help me out with all of my oils and vinegars. It sits right beside
