Last Minute Potato Wedges (they are to die for)

So the day after any big holiday at my house, everyone comes over again to keep feasting on the leftovers. 

This year we didn't have a ton of people coming so we didn't make a ton. We actually had more people for leftovers than for the actual meal. So I decided to make something fresh and yummy to fill in with. 

I went for something easy because I had just gotten home from Black Friday shopping and still had to wash the kitchen floor. 

These potatoes were perfect. I think more potato wedges were eaten than pieces of pie. 

These things are easy and perfect for the last minute. They only take 20 mins in the oven! 

Here's what y'all need:

1/2c balsamic vinegar 

1/2c olive oil

1T salt 

2T fresh rosemary 

(Mix all those together in a bowl) 

You also need Russet potatoes that have been washed and scrubbed clean. Then cut them into wedges (I like them thin but my sister likes then thick) they don't have to all be the same. I get about 8 wedges per potato. Start with about 4 potatoes and see how many you can get out of your marinade. I don't always use all mine so I pour it into a cute little jar and serve it for dipping when it's just for my family rather than a crowd. 

Then just toss a few wedges at a time in the marinade or whatever ya want to call it. 

Then place them on a baking sheet that had been lines with parchment paper. 

Stick them in the oven at 450 for 20 mins. You need to turn them over half way through. 

If they are done but you aren't ready for them leave them in and just turn off the oven they will get a little crispier and I think that's a good thing :) 

Happy holidays y'all. 

Sugared Cranberries (they should be illegal)

Hey y'all. I've been gone for awhile but these cranberries have brought me back. They are so sinfully delicious and perfect for the holidays. 

Before last night I had not eaten a cranberry that wasn't shaped like a can. Why fix what isn't broken? 

But then I came across these cranberries and I thought they would be nice to serve with the holiday appetizers. 

They were so good. I sent them out of the kitchen to be served while still helping my mom with dinner and I regretted it. I should have kept them for myself. 

This could be the first step to me eating actual cranberry sauce and not the canned stuff. maybe 

I know it's something little that might seem like a waste of time in the busy holiday kitchen but you can start these the day before. 

Here's how to do it:

I just poured a 16oz bottle of pure maple syrup into a medium sauce pan and heated it for a min. If its too hot the cranberries will burst. 

Then remove from heat and add in a bag of fresh cranberries. 

Stir it around to coat them and then chill in the fridge overnight or 12 hrs 

Then full a bowl with sugar and start rolling the cranberries in it. It actually takes a lot of sugar because it starts to clump and you have to throw it out and start a new bowl but it is worth it. 

People thought I soaked them in bourbon which is a good thing I guess but I don't care what they were soaked in they were too Good! 

Happy holidays y'all :)  

The BEST, most comforting Ham and Bean Soup

I am a ham freak mainly because when we have ham we get to have ham soup the next day. 

Anyway, there are some things in life that taste so good that you think only your mom can make it. This ham and bean soup is one of those things. I love love love it but I would never have dreamed of making it.

Last night my mom called and asked me to make the soup becaus she was stuck at work. I was so scared I would mess it up. But to my surprise it wasn't that hard and it turned out just like my mom's. 

This is how to do it. 

After your lovely ham dinner take the leftover ham still on the bone and put it in a large stock pot. The bone has so much flavor so if theres not a ton of ham left on it dont worry. Then cover with water and let it boil then simmer until you go to bed. Then just stick it in the fridge. 

The next day take the pot out and the fat from the ham will be hardened on top of the broth. Scrape off the fat. Then turn on the burner and start heating the soup. Meanwhile add  bay leaf or two and pull out the ham and trim some fat and slice it. You can throw out the bone now and add the ham back into the pot. 

Then add in the tomato soup, tomato paste and beans. Keep cooking until the beans are nice and tender. 

Ingredients 

Bone-in ham 

Water to cover 

1-2 bay leaves 

4  cans of tomato soup 

2 small can of tomato paste 

6 cans white beans 

We serve this soup with Hawaiian sweet rolls. It is so good! 

 

"Healthy" Almond Dark Hot Chocolate

So after purchasing dark chocolate cocoa powder and measuring it out I realized we didn't have milk. Shucks! 

However, we did have almond milk so into the pot it went. 

It was surprisingly good and I'm calling it healthy but I once forgot the egg yolks in an Italian cream cake and called it diet cake so I don't know. 

But anyway here's what you need for my "healthy" hot chocolate 

4c almond milk 

1/2c water

1/4c dark cocoa powder 

1/2c sugar 

3/4t vanilla 

Dash of salt

Stir the milk as it heats in a pot 

Don't boil it just make sure it's nice and hot 

Then add all the yummy stuff and whisk to combine :) 

WHIPPED CREAM! 

Cheerwine Baked Apples

Okay my life will never be the same now that I made these apples. I don't know why but for some reason I have always been intimidated by baked apples. Maybe I'm just lazy or I thought they were some fancy thing but they really aren't. It's just a baked apple... I feel a little stupid.

Anyway, in a weird, sleep deprived and festive moment (fall is ending too soon) I thought "why not bake apples in cheerwine" so I did. 

And with one bite I was told I have to make then for thanksgiving. 

They are really easy but for some reason little individual desserts always impress me and seem perfect for a big holiday meal. And these are easy enough to make for a crowd on a busy day like thanksgiving. 

I used six apples and two cans of cheerwine but you can get up to four apples per can. 

Ingredients 

6 cored apples  (I love my apple corer) 

2 cans cheerwine or diet cheerwine or black cherry cola or diet black cherry cola. Or maybe dr pepper.... Hm maybe another day 

3t sugar (about 1/2t per apple) 

Next cinnamon... I didn't measure but I think I used about 1/4t per apple it is really about how much you like this recipe is hardly a recipe. Mix it up do what you like. 

Put the cored apples in a casserole dish and pour on the cheerwine get it in the holed in the apples. 

Then sprinkle on sugar and cinnamon 

Next bake at 375 for 45 mins (I left mine in longer while we finished dinner but I did turn off the oven after 45mins) 

Then plate them. Spoon on some of the yummy cheerwine in the dish and top with whipped cream. 

Simple and delicious 

Amen 

"You're Missin' Out" Hot Chocolate

If you haven't had this hot chocolate you're missin out! My dad taught me how to make this when I was little I think so I would make it for him. After you have this there is no turning back. 

Forget those packages that call for boiling water I want the good stuff. This is the only way to drink hot chocolate. 

Ingredients 

4c milk 

1/2c water 

1/4c unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2c sugar 

3/4 t vanilla 

Dash of salt 

The milk shouldn't boil but stir it constantly and watch for it to get hot and a little foamy looking. 

Then just stir in the rest of the ingredients until the sugar dissolves and it is all combined. 

And of course add marshmallows ! 

Southern Comfort Pretzel Pudding

So for some reason I feel like soft pretzels are a fall thing, maybe because you can always find them at Oktoberfest. Anyway I had this weird idea to try to make bread pudding with soft pretzels instead of bread. I'm not sure why considering I have never even made a normal bread pudding before but last night I decided to try it out. 

There's what I used. The amounts are a little weird because I was trying to feed a crowd. 

5-8c cut soft pretzels 

2-1/2 to 3c milk 

1-1/2c sugar 

4T melted butter 

2-1/2t vanilla 

2-3 eggs 

Chopped pecans 

For sauce 

1c cream 

1c butter

1c sugar 

1/2c southern comfort 

It's pretty easy

Just throw the pretzel pieces in a dish

Then in a separate bowl whisk the eggs and add the milk, sugar, butter, and vanilla. 

Next pour it over the pretzels and sprinkle on plenty of pecans. 

Bake at 350 for 60-70 mins 

Now for the sauce just put all four ingredients in a sauce pan and let the butter melt and sugar dissolve until it all comes together. It shouldn't be very thick. 

I know this is a little crazy but it turned out pretty good :)

Crockpot 3 Pepper Roast and Mozzarella Sandwiches

I love my crockpot because it makes yummy food. Because I love my crockpot I have come to love chuck roasts. They cook so good in a crockpot and fall apart  and it's a very good thing. 

Yesterday I made sandwiches that I'm calling 3 pepper roast and mozzarella sandwiches. They are juicy and messy and delicious. 

Because they are so juicy you want to slice you rolls so that the bottom half of the roll is thicker than the top. Also I stuck mine in a pan with some butter to toast the inside so that the broth from the meat wouldn't make the bread soggy as fast. I think it helped a little. 

This is what you need:

2-3lb chuck roast

8oz pepperocini  peppers and their juice

8oz roasted red peppers drained 

4oz chopped pimentos( I just threw in the juice too)

14oz crushed tomatoes 

16oz beef stock 

Salt and pepper 

Toasted rolls 

Sliced mozzarella cheese

Just dump everything but the cheese and rolls of course into the crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 and then shred the meat. 

The jars of peppers and can of crushed tomatoes come in larger amounts than you need so you can serve the rest as topping or just stick them in the fridge for later. 

This is super easy and perfect for the busy day I had yesterday. Plus it looks pretty in the crockpot! 

Egg on Toast

Egg on toast, egg in the hole, egg in a basket... Whatever you call it, it tastes the same. 

I got a text from my beau's momma today and it reminded me of this.... Weird I know but I make this for my beau a lot and one day he asked his mom to make it for him. He called me two it three times while they were making it with questions. 

But really is not hard. My mom makes tons of these at a time when we all gather round on Sunday mornings and I bet I've been making it since she let me near the stove.

Ingredients 

Butter for skillet  

Egg 

Piece of bread 

First you cut a hole in the bread. I like to use a shot class for my hole because that's how momma does it but a lot of people use a glass or biscuit cutter to make a larger hole. It's all about what you prefer because that piece you cut out gets fried up too and it's delicious. 

Then place the bread and the cut out in the hot buttery skillet and crack an egg and drop it in the circle. Cook howyou normally   whole cook an egg or until the bread is golden then flip it and let it cook on the other side. It doesn't take long on the second side.

This is a little slice of heaven in the form of a slice of bread. You're gonna want two of these.

Cowboy Boot Makeover

A very long time ago I took an old pair of boots and switched them up. 

These boots are leather but they happen to have a cute western fabric lining so it was easy to fold them down. 

Then I went through my old belts and bandanas and stuck them on there. 

They don't have to match. Mine don't its just fun! 

I've seen people do this with boots that are thick leather and in order to do this the have to cut a line down the back. Yikes that scares me. But it is an option. 

"Tomato Bisque" Pasta

I'm calling this Tomato Bisque Pasta because when I was making the sauce Last night my beau said it looked like "tomato bisque" he was ready to eat it like soup. 

I wish I had some pretty herbs on top but it was thrown together pretty quickly. At least it's on fiesta ware that makes it kinda pretty. 

Anyway these are the ingredients 

2lbs fettuccine cooked according to package

2T olive oil

1 large onion chopped 

8 garlic cloves minced ( I feed a lot of people) 

Pinch Salt 

Pinch Pepper 

Dash Sugar 

1-2 jars of tomato sauce 

1 pt heavy cream 

2c parmesan cheese or other Italian cheese ( I used a blend of parm, romano and asiago.) 

Add oil to skillet. 

Add onion and garlic and  let cook for a minute

Then I added salt and pepper 

Next the tomato sauce -1 jar -and some sugar

Then in goes the heavy cream 

Then I added more tomato sauce until it looked tomatoey enough for my taste. 

Finally I added the cheese and let it melt as I stirred the sauce. 

I pour the sauce into the pot and coated the pasta. I served Hot Italian sausage with it but I didn't put then in the sauce because I wanted a creamy cheesy sauce not one that tasted totally like sausage. 

It was pretty good and easy. I usually think of spaghetti at home and the fancier kinds at restaurants but this was easy enough to do at home on a busy night. 

Amazing Cajun Mac and Cheese

I recently posted a recipe for lobster Mac and cheese but if I could only eat one Mac and cheese for the rest of my life it would definitely be this one. This Mac and cheese contains Cajun seasoning which is my secret ingredient in a lot of things. I can't get enough of it. 

With the holidays coming up this is the perfect Mac and cheese recipe because it feeds a good amount of people. 

Ingredients

2lbs elbow mac cooked and drained 

1lb sharp cheddar cheese shredded

1lb extra sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (I have tried both) 

2lb block of velveeta 

2c whole milk

4 large eggs beaten

Salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning to taste

1c butter cut into thin slices

Take shredded cheese and mix both kinda together in a bowl 

Pour milk into larger sauce pan and warm

Cut up velveeta and add to milk

Stir continuously until the velveeta melts (it's easy to burn and get brown bits in it) 

If it gets too thick add a little more milk 

Remove from heat 

Beat eggs in separate bowl 

Add a little cheese sauce to the eggs while whisking to temper them then add them to the sauce 

You will need a huge casserole dish for this but I don't have one so I use two smaller ones 

Butter then dish and pour in half the mac 

Add salt, pepper and a bunch of Cajun seasoning over the top 

Then add half the butter slices over the top

Next sprinkle on half of the shredded cheese mixture

Then pour on half of the velveeta cheese sauce 

Then repeat 

This mac and cheese had people asking me for the recipe and it is now a family favorite :) 

Comfort Breakfast

Yes that is a Peter Rabbit plate from when I was a baby. Yes it is a divided plate but hey this is comfort food. 

With Thanksgiving coming up we are all about to have left over mashed potatoes sitting in our fridge. 

My mom is used to take the potatoes and shaped them into cakes and put them in a pan with some butter to brown them on each side and then serve them with over easy eggs. 

Today I had it for the first time in a very long time and it was amazing. It is truly breakfast comfort food forget the biscuits and gravy. 

You don't even need a recipe for this one :) 

Creamy Lobster Mac And Cheese

My Beau loves all seafood but if you mix it with cheese he is hooked. 

I recently made lobster Mac and cheese for him. 

I have looked at a lot of recipes for this dish and I always feel like it is packed with a ton of stuff. This one doesn't have fancy expensive cheeses in it but it is so creamy and so good. 

Ingredients 

1/2c butter 

1/2c flour

1/2t salt

1/2t pepper

1/2t ground red pepper

1/2t granulated garlic 

2c half and half

2c milk 

2 10oz blocks of sharp cheddar cheese shredded 

1 10oz block extra sharp cheddar shredded

1lb elbow Macaroni cooked

Lobster tail steamed and chopped

Melt butter and whisk in flour 

Stir constantly for 2 mins 

Add salt, pepper, red pepper and garlic 

Whisk in half and half and milk

Stir in half of sharp cheddar and all extra sharp until smooth 

Remove from heat 

Combine cheese sauce with macaroni and chopped lobster 

pour into buttered dish

Top with rest of sharp cheddar 

Bake at 350 for 35 mins

I made this as a side dish but this is just half of my recipe I made a ton! We had left overs and it heats up fine so double it, triple it whatever it's so good on a cool fall day :) 

S'mores

A lot of people seem to think that s'mores are a summer thing but I think they are a fall thing. There's nothing better than heat from a fire to warm the cold air. 

I went camping last weekend and well when you camp you need to pack a lot. By using these cookies for s'mores I didn't have to take both graham crackers and chocolate. 

I know it didn't save that much room in my bag but these cookies just taste amazing with a marshmallow in the middle. 

These ones just happen to be dark chocolate but the milk chocolate ones are really good too. 

It's a fun spin on s'mores and the cookies make them extra chocolatey because each cookie has chocolate on it. 

It's just a fun thing to try :)

Easy but Impressive Apple Tarts

A little while back I went to this fancy restaurant where I had and amazing apple tart. It was much lighter than the usual apple crumble you find on most dessert menus. 

This is how I will be eating apples from now on. 

Ingredients 

3-4 apples cores and sliced 

1c brown sugar 

Juice of 1/2 lemon or a spurt of that bottle stuff 

Frozen Sheet puff pastry cut into 2-3 pieces 

Optional toppings

Chopped pecans 

Caramel sauce

Mix the apples in a bowl with brown sugar and lemon juice 

Cut puff pastry into 2-3 long strips 

Place apples overlapping  in a line on the puff pastry 

Bake at 425 for 20 mins 

Add toppings and serve! 

It's perfect for fall. It's easy but pretty enough to serve to company :) 

 

French Silk Pie

I saw this pie and had to make it. It's pretty much like chocolate mousse in a pie crust and then whipped cream to make it even better. 

This was my Beau's birthday pie. 

Before we get started let me tell you not to make this in the heat it won't set up right. I'm speaking from experience. 

WARNING: contains raw eggs 

This is what you need:

4oz unsweetened baking chocolate 

1c salted butter softened

1-1/2c sugar 

1t vanilla 

4 whole eggs

1 graham cracker crust ( I use store bought and if you can get the one that serves two extra slices that's best) 

Also heavy whipping cream and three tablespoons of sugar for whipped cream... Freeze the bowl 

Melt the chocolate then let it cool completely! Be patient! 

Then beat with an electric mixer (whisk attachment) the butter and sugar for a couple mins 

Mix in the COOLED chocolate trust me it has to be cooled. 

Add vanilla and beat to combine 

Then on medium speed add one egg keep beating for 5 mins then add the next egg and do the same thing for a total of 20 mins. Be patient. I'm not....

Pour into pie crust and whip the cream to top it. Then just leave it as is or shave some chocolate over it (semi sweet) or if you're fancy make some chocolate curls! 

Then it the whole thing as you hide in the closet and don't share with anyone. 

Pioneer Woman

It's no secret I like the pioneer woman. I post a lot of her recipes that I have tried.

Well today at 6am I woke up and headed out for a three hour drive to eventually meet her at 6pm. It's been a long day.

I rushed to the Barnes and noble to get a wrist band then I went to grab something to eat. And I dug into it to find a sticker still on one of the vegetables.... Yuck! 

Then I decided to go try to find some nail polish in the mall and I went to sephora. Well someone didnt put the lid back on one of the testers and I went to pick it up and purple nail polish went all over my favorite lucchese cowboy boots! I cried right there and I'm pretty sure the irks working there thought I was a nut for crying over a pair of boots. They probably thought I got them at Payless. 

However, I did get it pretty much off with nail polish remover And then I threw on some saddle soap. 

After shot- looks pretty good compared to what it looked like before the clean up.

Oh yeah and I got a cold sore. I haven't had one in months. 

Oh yeah and after I got there my momma and sister decide to be like I can't believe you wore that to meet pioneer woman. 

You tell me this now!?!? Ah 

Is it that bad???

Oh yeah did I mention that the nail polish fiasco of 2013 ruined my favorite jeans?? Shucks it was a bad day! 

I don't know what I was doing looking at purple nail polish anyway. I had no business being there. 

In the end the day wasn't half bad... Just kidding it was great! 

Ree is hilarious but if you have read her book you already know that. I can't believe I met pioneer woman it's practically a blur to me. 

Comfort Food for Fall - sour cream noodle casserole

Fall is the time for comfort food. Yay carbs! 

After a weekend of camping I needed something warm and Filling. 

This sour cream noodle casserole was perfect because it was like a spin on a family favorite. Plus it is super easy. 

All you need is: 

8oz wide egg noodles 

1-1/4 c cottage cheese

1/2 c sour cream 

1/2 c green onion chopped 

1-1/4 lb ground beef 

1 can tomato sauce 

1 c or more cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350

Boil the noodles 

Brown meat and add sauce 

Drain noodles and add cottage cheese, sour cream and green onions 

Pour in dish and top with meat mixture and cheese 

Bake for 20 mins 

 

Happy fall y'all 

Store Open Baking Ingredients In Jars

I don't like open bags of half used coconut and brown sugar. The same goes with opened boxes of powdered sugar and packages of almond bark and bakers chocolate. I like everything sealed and I also like everything pretty. 

I mostly use mason jars but I also save my marmalade jars for smaller things like cocoa powder. 

It's pretty and organized. 

I also recently rounded up my cupcake wrappers and stacked them in a jar. So pretty! 

I find satisfaction in weird places.. :) 

Pumpkin Chicken Chili With Pumpkin Ale Bread

It's fall y'all! 

Chili is good all times of the year but for some reason it tastes best in the fall. 

My sister loves pumpkin chili and since Sleepy Hollow was on last night we had to have it. 

Chili is something that you can play around with which is a good thing an a bad thing. I often come out with a chili that has no flavor but once you swallow it your mouth is on fire. 

Sooo I started using the awesome McCormick packets of seasoning. They have an amazing one for white chicken chili. The recipe is on the back but I didn't really follow it because I added pumpkin and some other stuff. 

This is what I did

Add oil to a large pot 

Sauté a chopped vidalia onion (why not?)

Add chicken cook until no longer pink 

Add 2 packs of seasoning 

Then 2 cups of water 

I also added a 12oz beer (I used shiner bock) 

1 HUGE can of white beans 

1 HUGE can of kidney beans (yea that crazy giant one.... I love beans in chili) 

Then add 4 serving spoons of pumpkin pie mix or until you think it tastes good

Then simmer until its time to eat. 

I served mine with cheese lots of cheese.

Now the bread 

I love corn bread with beef chili but I think beer bread is yummy with chicken chili 

Just get the box mix at the market it's really good and easy.

 All you do is add a 12oz beer. I used pumpkin ale. Then mix those beer into the box mix and pour into a loaf pan. 

Next just pour 3T of melted butter over the top and bake for 50-55 mins 

Let cool in the pan. 

I LOVE FALL FOOD :) 

Cookies That Stay SOFT!

I had to go to a family party last weekend and brownies are my cousins thing so I had to come up with something else. I decided to make cookies but there's a lot of great cookie recipes in my family and I needed something that was a little different. 

These were thin, soft and delicious! 

Here is how I made them: 

1c salted butter softened 

3/4c packed brown sugar

3/4c sugar

2 eggs 

1/2c malted milk powder(makes them stay soft)

2t vanilla

2c flour 

1-1/4t baking soda 

1-1/4t salt 

12oz bag chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 375

Cream together butter and both sugars until fluffy

Add one egg at a time while mixing 

Add malted milk powder 

Add vanilla and mix 

Sift in flour, baking soda and salt (or if you're like me just throw it all in) and mix 

Finally add in the chocolate chips 

Bake for 10-12 mins 

I use a little ice cream scooper to make these cookies. I never thought I needed one but it is amazing! Just get one. No more rolling it in your hands.

If you have one you can make these cookies into little yummy ice cream sandwiches. Just take a little scoop of ice cream and stick it between two cookies. 

Tres Leches Cake

In high school I went to a Spanish dance studio on a field trip with my Spanish class. While we were there we also ate some amazing food. Tres Leches Cake was one of the things we ate. It was so good but someone told me it had goat milk in it so I figured I wouldn't be making it any time soon. 

Maybe that cake did have goat milk in it but this one doesn't and it is so good. 

This is what y'all need: 

1c flour 

1-1/2 t baking powder 

1/4 t salt 

5 large eggs separated 

1c plus 3T sugar 

1/3c whole milk 

1t vanilla extract 

1 can condensed milk 

1 can evaporated milk 

1pt plus 1/4c heavy cream 

Preheat oven to 350 

Grease and flour 9x13in pan 

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in bowl and set aside

Add egg yolks and 3/4c sugar in mixing bowl - beat until very light in color 

Add milk and vanilla and combine 

Pour the liquid over the flour mixture and stir to combine

Then clean the mixing bowl and add egg whites and 1/4c of sugar 

Beat until stiff but not dry 

Fold in the egg whites 

Pour into pan and bake for 35 mins or until golden brown 

Let it cool completely

Then combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and 1/4c heavy cream 

Poke a million holes in the cake with a fork and pour it on

Then make the whipped cream topping

I put my mixing bowl in the freezer for this 

Then I add 1pt of heavy cream and 3T of sugar and whip 

Put it on like icing 

Top with maraschino cherries if you like. 

So moist and so yummy! It's really easy but really impressive to your guests :)

Dress Up Your Boots

So I went on Pinterest and I noticed that someone repinned my little boot thingies. I made these a while back at about 3 in the morning. I really can't remember what inspired these but I thought I would blog about them.

I don't know about you but I have a ton of Mexican blankets so this one will not be missed. I just cut some strips. 

First I cut them stripes that I liked an then I cut the diamond pattern out and sewed it over the stripes. 

It's nothing fancy and my seeing skills at the time were very bad but it worked. 

Remember that if u cut a Mexican blanket it will unravel so when you see it in a circle overlap the ends a little bit and it will help. 

They don't have to be perfect. Mine definitely aren't but I always have people wanting to know where I got them. 

They are just fun and kinda cute for the winter. 

Southern Party Planning

Puttin' on the Grit's is a guide to southern entertaining. I saw this book. Few years ago at a used book store and I didn't get it. I don't know why. I went back a few days later but it was no where to be found. I finally ordered it online and I can't believe I went all this time without having this book. I love it.

My favorite part of this book would have to be the excuses to have a party. The book lists occasions for each month but it includes fun days most people wouldn't even think of. 

Another thing I like is that the book not only tells you how to be a good host or hostess but also how to be a good guest. 

And of course it includes Awesome tips and recipes! 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

I've got some family in town this week so on the weekend we did a boil and I made an Italian cream cake because I'm Obsessed with it. However, my beau doesn't know coconut so I made him his favorite pie. 

This is what you need

1-1/2 sticks of butter

1/2c sugar  

1/2c brown sugar 

1/2c flour

2 large eggs 

1c chocolate chips 

1c chopped nuts 

First beat the eggs until they look foamy

Then had in butter and both sugars 

Next mix in the flour 

Then the chocolate chips and nuts. 

Bake in 350 oven for 55-60 mins

It's that easy. 

That's how I like it but for my beau I do no nuts and this time I just dumped the whole bag of chocolate chips in. It was so chocolatey and gooey. It was over the top yummy. 

3 Ingredient Little Smokies

I love the smell of brown sugar in the fall and the smell of bacon any time. These are so delicious that they are sure to impress your guests. 

It's hard to believe how easy they are. All you need is little cocktail sausages, bacon and brown sugar. 

Take your bacon and cut it into thirds. 

Wrap each sausage in a little piece of bacon. 

Then sprinkle 1c of brown sugar over. 

Bake at 350 for 30 mins or until it is bubbling and the bacon is crisp. 

This recipe is one one pack of sausages. But you might want to double this recipe. They are so good that I didn't even get to try one until the third time I made them because they go so fast! 

Crockpot CHEERWINE Brisket

Hey y'all 

I really hate those cooking shows that show you how to make something with only the things you have in your pantry and fridge. I never have those things! I don't stock fresh fancy cheeses but maybe that's just me. 

Here's what I do have: 

Chili sauce! This stuff is really good and I usually have it because I use it to make these yummy little meatballs for parties. 

I also tend to have onion soup mix because when I buy some for a recipe, it comes in a box with a couple more packs. 

And of course I have soda. 

So anyway, a couple days ago I wake up and see these defrosted beef cubes and I knew I was supposed to put it in a crockpot. I love my crockpot! No I was not the woman who peppersprayed someone for a crockpot on Black Friday. (My momma called to ask) 

So beef cubes. I know we had them to make a stew of beef burgundy and we had none of the stuff to make a stew because I had just mad my Pefectly Hearty Fall Soup. 

Then I remembered the chili sauce and I was pretty sure I didn't have onion soup mix but I ran to the pantry and when I found it I actually did a victory dance because chili sauce and onion soup mix ate magical together. 

Then I went downstairs to get an RC Cola. I had my hand on the RC but then I saw the cheerwine and it was all over. 

Yep, cheerwine "brisket" it's happening! 

If you make this actually use a brisket or a chuck roast it would be a lot better than my defrosted beef cubes. (That's why there is no picture... It wasn't very pretty) 

Put your meat in the crockpot

Pour on the onion soup mix 

Then add the chili sauce 

Finally pour on the Cheerwine

 

Then just let it cook on low for 6-8 hours or you know until you get home. 

I served mine over rice because it is what I had and it was really good. The sauce coated the rice and it was the perfect comfort food! 

Gypsy Soul

Yesterday I wanted to be comfy. I dug out am old shirt. Old shirts are pretty much like comfort food... I'm always thinking about food... Anyway, I wore it with these destroyed Jeans, my Junk Gypsy hat, and my Justin Gypsy boots. 

I love my JG hat, mainly because I love all thinks Junk Gypsy. If you don't know the Junk Gypsies and their awesome style check them out at gypsyville.com 

I also love my Justin Gypsy boots. They are come comfortable than sneakers, they are inexpensive and they are stirrup friendly. I love these boots! 

EASY Soft Pretzels

They don't look perfect but they tasted amazing. 

Every person that had one took a bite and looked at me and said "Is this all the pretzels? Did you make more?" They were all worried we would run out. 

What made my pretzels so yummy is this stuff 

Due to my lack of pretzel twisting skills I panicked and grabbed Janes Krazy Mixed Up Salt! It is really good stuff. 

Now lets get back to the pretzels. I always want to make them but I hate yeast. I only break it out once a year to make Easter bread or cinnamon rolls for Easter breakfast. 

HOWEVER these pretzels use that FRESH pizza dough you can get at the market. 

There's what y'all need: 

Fresh pizza dough 

Baking soda 

Janes Krazy Mixed Up Salt or your own secret ingredient :) 

Lots of melted butter 

Take out the dough and kneed it for a minute or two 

Then coat with melted butter and place in a bowl to rise in the fridge for an hour 

Next take it and twist it all up how you like.... I should probably braid it next time.

Then boil water and add a dash of baking soda to the water. 

Gently lower pretzels into the water one or two at a time. Cook for 10 seconds on  each side. 

Then place on parchment paper lined baking sheet and brush with butter 

Next add your salt or sesame seeds or cinnamon sugar. 

Finally bake for 12-15 mins or until they start looking brown like a pretzel at 425

Perfectly Hearty Fall Soup

              

Okay y'all, I am trying to get better with my recipe posts. So far they have been a little hard to follow, I think. 

Last night I made my first soup of the season. I made chicken tortellini soup. I don't know about y'all but I love tortellini. You can add it to pretty much anything to create a fun twist on a classic like chicken noodle soup. 

I added a TON of chicken to this soup and it came out very hearty like a stew. It is perfect for a fall night. But what made this dish even better is what I served with it. On my grocery list I wrote down to get some French bread to serve along side of this soup but I made a last minute change and decided to make soft pretzels. 

It was my first time making soft pretzels and I think the fear and time crunch caused me to run to the spices and look for something to save my pitiful little pretzels. I ended up grabbing my new secret ingredient. The pretzels were a huge hit! Stay tuned I will post my pretzel recipe tomorrow and reveal what sets my pretzels apart from the rest.

Okay there's the soup!

3T olive oil 

1lb carrots chopped

1c celery chopped 

1T minced garlic 

1 sweet onion chopped

3 quarts chicken stock

1 shake of garlic powder

2 shakes of oregano 

1 bag frozen peas

1 package of tortellini.... Or two! 

Okay y'all here it comes! The meat of TWO rotisserie chickens chopped. 

First add the olive oil, carrots, celery, garlic and onion to the pot. Cook for 10 mins stirring occasionally.(medium heat)

Then add the chicken stock, garlic powder and oregano. Bring to a boil. 

Next add the tortellini, turn heat down low and cover the pot for 10 mins. 

Finally add the peas and chicken. Cook until chicken and peas are heated through. 

YUM. This is the perfect fall soup! 

The BEST Honey in the World!

I am sick and that can only mean one thing. HONEY. 

I like to think I have tried a lot of honey in my life. I remember going to little farm markets and my sister and cousins would always get those straws full of honey. I would get one and then remember I didn't like honey. 

But it turns out I just hadn't had the right honey. Kind of how you don't know love until you have actually had it. I didn't know honey. 

We Bee Brothers Homestead Honey is the only honey I will eat. Yes, it's Northern honey. The North has some delicious things too! 

http://www.webeebrothers.com/

--- I am a lemon snob. I need fresh lemon in my tea but this morning I couldn't ind any. I ran around looking for the yucky stuff in the bottle but I couldn't find that either. I reluctantly took a sip of my tea with just sugar and honey but wow it was really good! This honey saved my tea.

Moo Cow Monday

It's Monday y'all. I guess yesterday's efforts to stop it from happening failed. Better luck next week.

This morning I woke up to a freezing house. I grabbed one of my cats and brought her under the blanket with me. We huddled together for warmth until I was brave enough to run for a sweater and some comfy jeans. 

When I went back  into my room to grab a pair of boots, I saw these babies. These Frye boots hold a special place in my heart. I don't wear them when I know I'll be climbing trees or trekking through mud. I like to keep these clean for the occasional barn wedding or trip to the Opry. 

Today, I needed a little something special  and these boots are SOMETHING! 

I Love this Jewelry

I love flea markets! 

Yesterday I was walking along and I was immediately drawn to a table with beautiful handmade jewelry. I knew I had to get something but it was hard to decide what to get because I wanted it all! 

Most of the jewelry was pretty flowers that would go with just about anything from jeans to a dress but they also had an amazing mermaid line and of course these cross earrings that I got. 

I love the earrings but I already regret not getting a small pale orange rose pendent too. It was to die for! 

Bee Stung's website is still in the works but you can check them out on Facebook.

I might just have to order somethings for my girlfriends for Christmas because, although my friends are all very different, Bee Stung has something for everyone.

Breakfast Casserole

Every Sunday my family has a big breakfast. Last week we bought all the stuff for breakfast but ended up all running in different directions after church and didnt have time for our breakfast. After the week we still had some stuff left and I decided to use it for a casserole of course! 

This is what I did: 

Brown 1lb of pork sausage in a skillet 

Butter a casserole dish

Cut up some bread (about half a loaf) 

-press the bread into the dish 

Then sprinkle the sausage over the bread 

Next beat 5 eggs and mix in 2 cups of half and half and some salt 

Then just pour the eggs over the whole thing and stick it in the fridge 

In the morning put it in the oven at 350 for 50 minutes. 

It was so good. I was worried because I love bacon a little more than I love sausage but it was so amazing that I didn't even miss not having bacon. YUM