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Tarts are the best.They're perhaps one of the greatest culinary inventions when it comes to showcasing the summer's best fruity bounty. You can top them with just about any fruit, and they're always exceptionally yummy. A recent trip to the farmer's market resulted in a big, beautiful bucket of some of the juiciest, sweetest and most delicious fresh strawberries finding their way to my
Every good Southerner knows that a deliciously comforting (and probably cheesy) casserole is a must at any potluck dinner. A classic green bean casserole has always been one of Brad's favorites. Maybe it's partly because of the scrumptious onion rings that grace the top, or maybe it's because they're just downright yummy.I stumbled upon Paula Deen's recipe recently and knew that I had
The winner of the Gourmet Garden Giveaway is:Comment #14 from: FireRunner2379Congratulations and THANK YOU to everyone who entered!!!
I have SUCH big news to share with you...I have a recipe featured in the May issue of Southern Living magazine, y'all! After months of anticipation, it has finally hit store shelves. In fact, we just got back from the grocery store, where I saw it for sale for the first time. I may have bought 4 copies and excitedly shared my glee with the cashier while checking out. :)Sout
In celebration of surpassing 2,000 Facebook fans, let's have an awesome giveaway, shall we?!I recently met Mary from Gourmet Garden at FoodBlogSouth 2013 back in January. They were sponsoring the conference, and I got to taste samples of their goodies. I love the convenience of their products, because I'm not always able to have a big selection of fresh herbs hanging out in my fridge.&
Eating healthy is really important around our house, but every now and then, a girl just needs a plate of delicious fries, I tell you! Am I right?!? This recipe is a keeper. Large wedges of russet potatoes are coated with a quick vinaigrette of olive oil, fresh lemon juice, shallot, garlic, oregano and parsley (which comes together in a flash with the help of a food processor).&nb
Photo courtesy of Pursell FarmsMy latest culinary road trip took Brad and me to Pursell Farms, where I recently had the opportunity to sit down with award-winning Chef Andrea Griffith during our Easter weekend visit (read about our fun weekend HERE!).With over 13 years of experience, Chef Griffith is no novice and is using her passion for farm-to-table southern cuisine to create exciting new menus
Three things that I love are:1) Fun & relaxing weekend getaways2) Awesome food3) Beautiful surroundingsThis past weekend was filled with all three of these things during our stay at Pursell Farms in Sylacauga, AL. Brad and I loaded Ava up in the car and made the one hour journey to the countryside, where we had such a wonderful time. And OH, the food! It was
There's a funny story that I think of every time I have country-fried steak. It was actually the very first meal that I ever cooked my husband, on one of our first dates. I wanted to pull out all the stops and make him a home-cooked meal. For some reason, country-fried steak was my meal of choice. Can you blame me? It's comforting, delicious and easy to make. I
What do you say we celebrate this beautiful first day of spring with a beautiful, fresh recipe? Seriously, I'm obsessed with this salad. After delighting in my very first bite of this exquisite meal, I proclaimed "This might be the best salad I've ever had in my life!"Friends, I'm not exaggerating.The inspiration for this meal came when I acquired a gorgeous bag of freshly foraged wate
Whenever I eat fudge, I think about vacations in the mountains for some reason. It may have something to do with the fact that every mountain town has that quintessentially cute little fudge shoppe, that you just can't resist going into. And once your inside, well, then it's over. At least it is for me.I mean, how could you resist the rows and rows of fudgy delights?? There
Without further ado, I'm thrilled to announce the winner of the $500.00 Your Set by Calphalon giftcard. The winning comment is #20, from The Wileys!!The Wileyssaid...20 I like you on FB! February 14, 2013 at 9:17 AM Congratulations!!! :) :) :)
Shortly after walking into Birmingham's beloved Hot and Hot Fish Club recently to chat with Chef Chris Hastings, I was greeted by a warm smile, a firm handshake and a bottle of sparkling San Pellegrino by the Chef himself. As far as culinary royalty goes, Chef Hastings is certainly on that list. He's a James Beard winning, Iron Chef conquering, seafood loving, PB & J eatin', passio
So, I'm super duper, incredibly excited to offer my wonderful readers (that would be you!), a chance to win a $500 "Your Set by Calphalon" giftcard...Yes, $500.00, just in time for Valentine's Day!! It's my largest giveaway to date, and I can't wait to give you all the details...I recently had the opportunity to have lunch with 2 awesome reps from Calphalon, and they told me about something
My awesome mom-in-law, Carol, makes the most amazing Greek Salad...It's the stuff of dreams. She makes it often for big family gatherings, and I always save a special spot on my plate for a generous helping. It's fresh, vibrant flavors are incredible, and you know what? It couldn't be any easier to make.Simply chop up all the ingredients, throw them into a large bowl along with a
Who's ready for the Super Bowl tomorrow?? If truth be told, I'm probably more excited about the commercials (and food, of course!) than the actual football game, but hey, the commercials are usually awesome. And they better be, especially when the average cost of a mere 30-second ad spot during the game is $4 million!That's right...$4 Million....WOW. Awesome party food is an absolute M
I'm currently working on a fun project, that I'm so excited about...I'm photographing a cookbook all about fresh seafood from the Gulf of Mexico, and I can't wait to see the finished book. It's going to be filled with awesome recipes and everything you need to know about all the different species of fish found in the Gulf. And I don't know about you, but it's pretty hard to beat a plat
Folks, this just might be the most decadent, mouth-wateringly rich, sinfully delicious cake that I've ever made...seriously.Brad wanted a chocolate-peanut butter cake for his birthday this year, and you know how it goes - Ask, and you shall receive! I wanted to make my awesome hubby an extra-awesome cake this year. I came across this recipe over at Smells Like Home, and I stopped in my
So, I've got some pretty exciting news...I'll be speaking at the upcoming FoodBlogSouth 2013 Conference in Birmingham, AL on Saturday, 1/26! If you're a food blogger and haven't heard about FoodBlogSouth, you're missing out. It's an awesome event, and with speakers like J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, Virginia Willis, Marti Duncan, Cynthia Graubart, Helene Dujardin and Tami Hardeman, it's definite
Friends, it's with an incredibly heavy heart that I write this post tonight. Last Wednesday, our beloved Hannah passed away from what we think was a heart condition. One minute she was having the time of her life, and the next she was gone. To say that we're heartbroken is an understatement. Hannah was an exceptional dog and very, very special to us in every single way. &nb
It's not often that I have time to make a recipe TWICE before posting it here on the blog, but folks, this cheesecake is so good that that's exactly what happened. Now, this certainly won't help with any diet-related new years resolutions that you may be planning, but sometimes the calories are worth it!My little niece requested a "chocolate cheesecake with whipped cream and cherries o
Twas a week before ChristmasAnd in my blog's queue,Awaited a deliciously special recipe just for you.See, this recipe is unique and has been handed down,And it in fact made Etta Reid famous around town!What is it, you ask? Well, come over here.I'll tell you the secret to filling your taste-buds with cheer!With a little cinnamon, sugar, butter and dough,Upon first bite, your friends and famil
Some of my best memories growing up revolved around vacations spent along the Gulf of Mexico. Those vacations were filled with fun in the sun, time spent with family, and delicious meals made unforgettable by the amazingly fresh seafood right out of the Gulf near my home state of Alabama. To this day, I still love a big plate of fresh shrimp, grouper, snapper, flounder or yes...even raw oyst
There's something just so marvelous about baking cookies in December while the Christmas tree lights cast a warm glow across the room. This time of year certainly puts me in the baking mood. In fact, cinnamon rolls, banana nut bread and perhaps another pecan pie are all in my very near future.Baking simply makes my heart smile. :)Earlier today, my father-in-law mentioned that he
When the holidays roll around, I adore a good Sweet Potato Souffle! It's one of my very favorite sides this time of year. Its brown sugary sweetness, perfectly buttery, and pecan-filled topping can't be beat, and then there's the light, airy goodness of the sweet potatoes below. Yum.I found this recipe from Paula Deen and made some changes to the butter and sugar quantities.
There were many years where our Thanksgiving table was always graced by the congealed cranberry sauce of the canned variety. You know the one - It plops out of the can with a "thwack" and then is sliced into slivers before being served. However, I had a wonderful revelation a few years back...HOMEMADE cranberry sauce. Why had I not been making it at home all along??It's incredibl
I've had a sick hubby on my hands over the past few days. He better start feeling better soon, though, because there's a lot of good eatin' to be done tomorrow on Thanksgiving! Something tells me that after that first bite of the cornbread & sausage dressing that he looks forward to for 364 days a year, he'll be much better! (Speaking of Thanksgiving, this dish would be a per
Can you believe that Thanksgiving is right around the corner?? In the midst of all the football games, brisk walks around the neighborhood with autumn leaves tumbling through the air, cozy scarves, warm boots, pumpkin pies, and colorful drives through town surrounded by fall colors, isn't it wonderful to stop and think about all the things we have to be thankful for? It's a season of t
Thank you all SO very much for entering my latest giveaway for an autographed copy of "DADGUM That's Good, Too!" by John McLemore!! It's an awesome cookbook, and I'm thrilled to be able to give one away to a lucky reader.So, without further ado, the winning comment is:COMMENT #30:Andrea said... I follow you on Pinterest. AndreaNovember 5, 2012 6: PM Congratulation
It's that time of the year again...Time for all the ghouls, ghosts and goblins to come out and play tonight! It's also time for our annual Halloween shindig. What a great time we had this year, eating fun Halloween-themed food and spending time together in our silly costumes. Although the party was a little last minute this year, we still had a blast. Friends and family cam
I recently had the chance to sit down with chef, cookbook author and CEO of Masterbuilt, John McLemore, for a delicious lunch here in Birmingham, AL. John was in town for the day on a media blitz, and I'm so thankful that he took the time to meet with me. Upon arriving, I was greeted by the entire gang - his wife Tonya, his daughter, his Social Media Specialist and even his pilot!
Soup and sandwich combos don't get much more classic than a comforting bowl of tomato soup with a toasty grilled cheese on the side. So, when I received the October 2012 issue of Food Network magazine in the mail recently with this yummy dish gracing the cover, I was anxious to try it.Now, I don't have a fancy panini press, but that didn't stop me. I whipped out my trusty skillet and s
When life gives you ripe bananas, make these incredible muffins!With autumn finally here in all its crisp air, gorgeous-colored glory, I unsurprisingly have been bitten by the baking bug lately. It happens every year without fail. There's just something about the smell of a something delicious baking in the oven that makes fall feel that much more like fall.The other day, I had a cravi
Drum-roll, please ........................................................................ ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................The winner of the autographed copy of Tasia's Table: Cook
This weekend marks one of the top food events in the state of Alabama - The Break 'n Bread Food & Wine Festival, and I am super duper excited to go this year. The Birmingham Originals is an organization of our city's finest restaurants, and they are going big this year by hosting what promises to be the best BNB festival yet.For those of you that live close to Birmingham, AL and are inte
This week kicks off a virtual potluck, celebrating Tasia Malakasis' beautiful new cookbook, Tasia's Table, Cooking with the Artisan Cheesemaker at Belle Chevre...I'm excited to be a part of this fun event! When the folks at Belle Chevre asked me to pick out a recipe from the cookbook, I had a hard time deciding on just one. However, this recipe for Bacon and Goat Cheese-Stuffed Pork Te
It's been an exciting week for my little food blog. It officially reached 1,000 Facebook fans, and I'm excited to celebrate with a great giveaway for a lucky blog reader!I love you guys so much, that I'm giving away an autographed copy of "Tasia's Table: Cooking With the Artisan Cheesemaker at Belle Chevre."If you've never heard of this wonderful little fromagerie in Elkmont, Alabama, you'll
Let's face it...While leftovers make for a fast and easy dinner, they can be very boring. So, I love dishes that allow you to take the leftovers and create a delicious yet different dinner on the 2nd night. This recipe is a fantastic example.I took the remaining orecchiette pasta and spinach pesto from this Chicken with Spinach Pesto and whipped up this easy weeknight dinner for two.&n
Why haven't I ever thought of making pesto with something other than basil before? Sure, basil pesto is nothing short of vibrantly green deliciousness, but lots of fresh basil can be somewhat elusive if not in season (at least around here). I found this recipe for Chicken with Arugula Pesto in the September 2012 issue of Food Network Magazine in the weeknight cooking section. It caught
Fig season is short but glorious, so I try to take advantage of it every chance I can get my hands on some. I've got 2 pints sitting in my fridge right now, and I'm trying to decide the perfect use for them...maybe this fresh Fig & Walnut Bread, or perhaps these Fig & Walnut Cookies? So far this summer, I've made another batch of this Addictive Cinnamon-Fig Jam, and also this d
I learned to really appreciate the wonderfulness of simple cooking, made with the freshest, in-season ingredients during our trip to Europe back in 2009. There, we dined on the most exquisite food, but you know what? It wasn't particularly fancy or pretentious food that comes to mind...It was simple, down-to-earth dishes packed with flavor from what was in season at the time.&nbs
Julia Child has been such a huge inspiration to so many people, myself included. Tomorrow (8/15) is a big day for Julia fans around the world...It marks what would have been her 100th birthday! In celebration of such a talented, fantastic and all-around amazing chef and person, I'd like to post a collection of some of my favorite Julia recipes for you to peruse. Maybe one of them
There's something so humble and unassuming about a fruity, simple cobbler. They're not fussy, pretentious or complicated. By contrast, cobblers seem to always be comforting, delicious and crave-worthy. In this recipe, fresh fruit of the season is baked just until bubbly, and then biscuit dough is dropped by spoon-fulls over the top. With a second trip into the oven, the dough ba
Well, the blueberry recipes just keep coming, don't they? I hope that's okay with you guys, because this Whole Wheat Oatmeal Blueberry Bread sure is scrumptious! With all the streusel-topped blueberry yumminess that's been making appearances around our kitchen, I was in the mood for something a little more hearty and healthy. This bread really hit the spot.It's packed with
It's cherry season, my friends! And what goes perfectly with cherries? Chocolate, of course!I can't remember a time when I didn't love cherries. In fact, I once drank so many cherry-flavored SqueezeIt drinks (does anyone else remember those??), that I broke out in a cherry-induced acid rash. I know, I know...lovely. Although, I must admit that I only really developed
I love a good scone for breakfast. They're easy to grab as I run out the door for work in the morning, and they're delicious, too. It had actually been a while since I've made scones, and with it being blueberry season and all, what better time??I sure have been on a blueberry kick lately...Scones, Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes, Blueberry Muffins, a Blueberry Buckle, and even Whole Whe
The epitome of summertime deliciousness!Brad recently surprised me with a subscription to Food Network Magazine, and I love it. In their July/August 2012 issue, they featured a Farmers' Market Menu, which starred this Peach-Almond Upside-Down Cake as dessert. All of the juicy, marvelous peaches at the farmers' market lately has had me dreaming of peachy flavored goodness, so when I saw
We just can't get enough blueberries around here lately! We've bought huge buckets of them at the farmer's market the past two times we've been, so I've had to come up with different ways to use the perfect little berries full of blue summer deliciousness.I know, I know...sounds like such a terrible predicament. ;-)I saw a photo of a Blueberry Buckle while perusing blueberry recipes, a
Happiness comes in many forms. Maybe its warm sun on your face and your toes in the sand, or maybe its sharing a laughter-filled conversation with your loved ones. Maybe its the good news you've been waiting to hear.It can be found in the smallest, simplest moments...like biting into a fresh peach that's so incredibly juicy that you have to strategically stand over the sink to eat it,
Blueberries..."How do I love thee? Let me count the ways..."So maybe Elizabeth Barrett Browning wasn't talking about blueberries when she wrote her famous poem, but she could have been. Especially with fabulously sweet, perfectly round and beautifully blue little berries like these.Every year, Brad and I look forward to the day when these huge buckets of blueberries are available at th
