Adventures of a Southern Newlywed

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T21:27:00.001-05:00

I hope that this post finds everyone well! Things have been hectic in my house lately with work and travel. I'm hoping that 2012 will bring me a little more time away from my job to spend doing all the things I love - cooking, traveling and spending time with friends and family. I also hope to have more time to update my blog.

I hope that 2012 brings you everything your heart desires!

Blog Sale!

2011-04-17T14:22:00.007-04:00

I am in the process of cleaning out my closet and have a few things that need a new home. These are all brand new with tags. Shipping is $5 via USPS and payments will be accepted via paypal.

Lilly Pulitzer Olette Top

Turquoise Fresh Catch Toile

Size Small

SOLD

This top is brand new with tags. The original price was $74. It has a band around the top to help hold secure it and there is shirring at the bustline. I think this would look really cute with white jeans or a white skirt.

Lilly Pulitzer Flirty Dress

Multi Ribbon Stripe

Size 4

SOLD

I love this dress but it doesn't fit me. It was really hard to find at the time. This dress has never been worn and still has the original tags.

Banana Republic 100 Silk Cocktail Dress

Size 4

$35

This dress is 100% silk and fully lined. It has a tie belt and sequined trim around the neckline. Unfortunately there are a few picks in the silk, but they are not very noticeable.

Please email me at southernnewlywed@aol.com with any questions or to purchase. Happy Sunday!

Don't Forget!

2011-04-11T06:00:00.000-04:00

I hope you have a great Monday! Don't forget that the Joss & Main preppy monogrammed plate sale starts at 11:00 AM sharp! Click here for instant access!

Preppy Monogrammed Plates @ Joss and Main

2011-04-09T10:21:00.004-04:00

I just got an email yesterday about a fun company that is hosting a monogrammed plate sale on Monday at 11:00 AM. I have had these plates on my wish list for quite some time. I think they will be perfect for picnics. Joss & Main is owned by CSN stores and has recently offered sales for Le Creuset (where the heck was I?, I love Le Creuset!), Trina Turk, Missoni Home, Sweet Shop USA chocolates, Natural Fitness Yoga Mats, ModGreenPod organic textiles, Bob’s Your Uncle, Paderno cookware, and Henckels knives. Sign up instantly by clicking here and avoid the wait. The sale starts on Monday at 11:00 am and these items are sure to be a sellout. I am also really excited about the upcoming Lilly Pulitzer Accessories and Home Event on Monday April 18. Also, if you like Joss & Main on facebook you have the chance of winning a $1,000 gift certificate! I hope you all have a great weekend!

Checking in...

2011-03-12T11:05:00.002-05:00

Hi, ladies! I hope you all are doing well! Things is my life are going well. My job is still going well although I have been really busy. I have to say, I can't complain though. I work with a great group of people and enjoy what I do.

I don't have anything new and exciting to report. I'm counting down the days until spring and summer. We don't have anything planned yet, but I am ready for some sunshine and warm weather.

We are in the process of thinking about moving to a new house. We love our condo, but we are ready for a little bit more room, and we would like to move to another part of Charlotte. Right now, we are thinking about our options and I am mulling over how I want things to look (the fun part!).

I hope you all have a great weekend!

Menu Monday

2011-01-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

This week I am in town all week again - yay! Below are the recipes that we will be trying out this week.

Sunday: Sausage and cheese calzones

Monday: Pot roast with mashed potatoes and roasted carrots. For the roasted carrots, I cut carrots and place them on a sheet pan with olive oil, salt, and pepper. I usually roast them on 425 for about 15 - 20 minutes depending upon how thick the slices are.

Tuesday: Chicken cutlets with pecan sauce and steamed broccoli

Wednesday: Pastitsio I have made this recipe over and over. If you like lamb, this is a great dish. The flavor combinations are a bit different, but we love it.

Thursday: Slow cooker turkey chili

I hope you all have a nice week!

Happy Birthday, A!

2011-01-24T01:00:00.000-05:00

photo from MarthaStewart.com

Today is my sister's birthday! A, I hope that you have a great day filled with all of your favorite things! I love you!

New Year's Eve Dinner

2011-01-23T11:35:00.004-05:00

This year for NYE we decided to have a low key night and just invite some friends over and enjoy being at home. Neither Thomas or I are really into going out, so we were just as happy to stay at home. I made dinner and then we played wii and hung out with our friends. We toasted 2011 and then we all called it a night. The perfect way to ring in 2011 if you ask me!

I made mainly Pioneer Woman recipes and dinner was great. Really easy and everyone loved it. In fact, my friends duplicated the menu a few weeks later.

First Course: French Onion Soup

This was so, so good! Since NYE I have made this several times. It's easy and tastes really good. Be sure that you get very crusty French bread and definitely spring for gruyere. I think that Swiss would pass in a rush, but gruyere is just so delicious!

Main Course: Filet au poivre, mushrooms, and green beans with shallot butter sauce.

The filet au poivre was delicious. I cannot think of any changes that should be made to this recipe. It was decadent and the flavors were wonderful. The mushrooms I have made several times before and I love them. For the green beans, I used haricot verts, steamed them and then mixed them with sauteed shallots and butter. It was quick and easy.

This entire meal is something that I would absolutely make again for a special occasion. It was relatively easy and our friends loved it.

I hope you all have a great Sunday!

2010 - Some of my favorite recipes

2011-01-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

Well... as much as I love Ina Garten and Martha Stewart, most of my favorite recipes from 2010 were from the Pioneer Woman. Good thing I wasn't on a diet! Ha ha! Listed below are some of my favorite recipes.

The Pioneer Woman's Beef with Snow Peas: This is hands down, amazing! The only changes that I make to this dish are that I use less cornstarch and I usually substitute broccoli for the snow peas. For a really quick dinner I will use steamfresh broccoli florets from the freezer section. I steam them in the microwave and then add them at the end. I serve this with jasmine rice.

Bourbon BBQ Baby Back Ribs: This recipe is from Southern Living and is now my favorite way to make ribs. They are tender and very, very easy to make! You can also substitute another sauce for the homemade Bourbon BBQ sauce.

Pot Roast: This is a recipe that I put together which I absolutely love. I usually serve this with mashed potatoes and some kind of roasted vegetable - carrots, asparagus, etc. Just toss the vegetables with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and cook in a 425 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.

Favorite Pimiento Cheese: I love, love, love pimiento cheese. It's good on french bread rounds, sandwiches, celery, etc. This recipe was from Southern Living and I made a few tweaks to their published recipe.

Scallops Provencal: This recipe is from Ina Garten, the queen of simple, beautiful food. This dish is very easy to make and delicious. I like to serve this with brown rice and roasted vegetable. This is also a great recipe to make for company because it is quick and easy but it still looks very nice.

Spaghetti and Meatballs: This is Pioneer Woman's recipe and I have made this time and time again. It's very flavorful and relatively easy to make.

Bon appetit!

New Year's Resolutions

2011-01-04T06:00:00.002-05:00

I am not normally big on New Year's Resolutions. I think that sometimes they are a bit grandiose, and I don't want to set myself up for failure at the beginning of the year. There are always things that I aim to work towards, or things that I aim to do, but I try to set goals that are reasonable.

Every year I say that this is the year that I am going to read the bible from cover to cover. I have said this every single year for ages. I have decided that this is the year. I downloaded this bible from Barnes and Noble for my ipad. It splits the bible into sections that you read each day for the year. So far (I know, it's only day four!) I am on track and up to date.

Besides cooking, one of my other favorite hobbies is reading. In the past few years, I have only been reading about two to three books per year. That's much less than I like to read! One of my goals is to read more in 2011. There are several new books that I want to read, which I will post later. I don't know that I will have time to read as much as I used to, but I want to devote more time to reading than I did in 2010.

I also want to make an effort to create a bit more work life balance. I love my job and enjoy what I do, but this past year was tough. There was a lot going on and I found myself often making sacrifices in order to accomplish things at work. While I definitely want to keep my performance up at work, I also want to learn that it is okay to just shut down and leave sometimes. I am a perfectionist and like everything to be in order, but I hope to make a better effort this year to put myself first every so often.

What are your resolutions?

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2010-12-27T17:11:00.007-05:00

I hope that you all had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We had snow here in NC for the first time in years. It was so much fun to have snow during the holiday! We had a very nice holiday although it was fairly low key. My work schedule was extraordinarily busy for most of the fall, so I was ready for a chance to slow down a bit. I caught up on magazines, cleaned up at home, tried some new recipes (I'll be sharing them), and just enjoyed resting. It was so nice!!

Santa was very good to me this year. I got some Herend and also a new Le Creuset braiser. I love my new braiser and have enjoyed using it.
Thomas and I gave my sister a pink Kitchenaid mixer and were so excited to give it to her! Okay, so maybe Thomas wasn't quite as excited about it as I was. Ha ha! I love my Kitchenaid and know she will enjoy using hers.

Have a great weekend!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T06:00:00.001-05:00

I hope you all are having a great day celebrating with your loved ones!

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. ~ Meister Eckhart

Menu Sunday

2010-11-21T06:00:00.001-05:00

I am going to be in town this week, so I have a full list of menus planned out... Here goes...

Sunday Night: Slow Cooker Chicken with Wild Rice from Southern Plate - I'll admit... I don't try many recipes from this site, but I want to give this a try because it looks very good!

Monday Night: Beef with Snow Peas from The Pioneer Woman - I am going to be substituting green beans for the snow peas, but otherwise I will be following her recipe.

Tuesday Night: Bourbon glazed pork chops, broccoli, and rice pilaf

1½ cups firmly packed brown sugar
⅔ cup Dijon mustard
⅓ cup soy sauce
⅓ cup bourbon (Coke may be substituted)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
6 (½ inch thick) bone-in pork chops

Stir together first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Place half of the sugar mixture in shallow dish or large zip top plastic bag; add pork chops. Cover or seal, and chill 30 minutes, turning once. Remove pork from marinade, discarding marinade.

Grill pork in grill skillet over medium high heat about 6-8 minutes or until done, turning once.

Bring remaining sugar mixture to a boil in a small saucepan, and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Pour over chops before serving.

Wednesday Night: Dinner with my friends! I can't wait!

PS - The ribs I posted about here were so good! If you are a rib fan, that way of cooking them is easy and they are so good!

I hope you all have a nice week!

Happy Thursday!

2010-11-18T18:39:00.003-05:00

I hope you all are having a great week! It's been so long since I have sat down and posted. I owe you all a bit of an update! Things are going well in our lives, I have just been really busy working! I have been doing right much traveling for work and that has kept me busy. Plus, we have had a lot going on so I have been working nonstop it seems. I do love my job and the people that I work with. So for that, I am thankful!

The one upside of this travel is that I have the vast majority of our Christmas shopping done! Yay! I ordered almost everything online - hallelujah - and it has almost all been delivered. One day I had several things delivered and Thomas said the packages were stacked taller than he was. Ha ha ha! At least he knew what he was getting into before he married me!

A side note - I did have the chance to meet Annie from Classic Annie! We had so much fun! It was so neat to meet her in person after reading her blog and I am looking forward to seeing her again! I don't think there was one quiet moment the entire time we were together! Ha ha! She was such a sweet person and it was great to meet her!

I am going to be in town next week and off for the holiday - yay! So I hope to catch up on some things at home and enjoy the holiday! I hope that you all have a great Friday and a nice weekend!

Christmas Cards!

2010-11-07T17:36:00.005-05:00

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year, hands down! I love everything about it - the sights, the sounds, the time with family, the special traditions. I always look forward to sending and receiving Christmas cards each year. This year, I am going to send out a photo card but I am still choosing which one to send. I am leaning towards sending a card from Shutterfly. They are customizable and reasonably priced. My cousin used Shutterfly for her baby announcement, and I was pleasantly surprised with the quality. They have Christmas Cards, Christmas Invitations, and Christmas Tags. Plus, they are offering cards from one of my favorite stationery designers, Whitney English.

Some of my favorites from Shutterfly:

Now the hard part - choosing a picture for our cards!!! I hope you all have a great weekend!

PS - If you are a blogger and interested in receiving 50 free cards from Shutterfly, click here!

Menu... Saturday?

2010-10-09T09:57:00.005-04:00

This week was a bit hectic so I didn't have a chance to post my normal weekly menu on Monday. At least I am posting it at some point - ha ha!

Sunday: Mushroom Bolognese from Cooking Light's October issue. This was really good if you like mushrooms! There are 8 cups of mushrooms, so it's worth it to run by Costco if you plan to make this recipe. We had tons of leftovers which were perfect for lunches this past week!

Monday: Mushroom and Provolone Patty Melts also from the October issue of CL. These were good, but I didn't exactly follow the recipe. I added roasted garlic and worcestershire sauce to the ground sirloin and I omitted the flour and beer and instead added dijon mustard to the onion/mushroom mixture. I also buttered the bread instead of using cooking spray. So, these weren't exactly light!

Tuesday: It was my birthday so we went out to eat! :-)

Wednesday: Takeout

Thursday: Bourbon BBQ Ribs from Southern Living with butternut squash and baked beans. These ribs may have been some of the best I have had. They were absolutely delicious. The technique was easy and the results were wonderful. I will definitely use this technique going forward, and I will probably try using different sauces.

Bon appetit! I hope you all have a great weekend!

Menu Monday

2010-09-13T06:00:00.000-04:00

I am in town again this week - yay! Below are the recipes that I will be trying this week.

Monday: Chicken Marsala Tetrazzini - this recipe is from this month's Southern Living Magazine

Tuesday: Pot Roast with caramelized onions and mashed potatoes

Wednesday: Bourbon glazed pork chops, broccoli, and rice pilaf

1½ cups firmly packed brown sugar
⅔ cup Dijon mustard
⅓ cup soy sauce
⅓ cup bourbon (Coke may be substituted)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
6 (½ inch thick) bone-in pork chops

Stir together first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Place half of the sugar mixture in shallow dish or large zip top plastic bag; add pork chops. Cover or seal, and chill 30 minutes, turning once. Remove pork from marinade, discarding marinade.

Grill pork in grill skillet over medium high heat about 6-8 minutes or until done, turning once.

Bring remaining sugar mixture to a boil in a small saucepan, and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Pour over chops before serving.

Thursday: Takeout!

I hope you all have a nice week!

Southern Living Magazine

2010-09-12T13:28:00.005-04:00

Southern Living is one of my favorite magazines. The articles are always informative and fun to read. During the month of September you can get a two year subscription for $20. That is quite a bit less than normal price! Email willowhousemom@gmail.com to order.

This month's issue was great! My favorite articles were "Welcome Friends With a Beautiful Table" and "10 Ways to Get Southern Style."

True Prep Giveaway!

2010-09-04T17:40:00.003-04:00

I received a copy of True Prep yesterday and have already started reading it. It is laugh out loud funny! So far it has been a really fun read!

To celebrate the arrival of this book, I have a copy plus some preppy swag to give away! If you don't win my giveaway, the book will be available at your local bookstore Tuesday and also at one of my all time favorite sites, PreppyPrincess.com.

To enter, please leave a comment. You must be a follower of my blog to win.

Happy Saturday!

A big thank you to the sponsors of this, several are some of my favorite preppy purveyors - Cole Haan, Vineyard Vines, Tommy Hilfiger, LL Bean Signature, Jewelry for a Cause, and Knockaround Sunglasses.

Best Ever Pot Roast

2010-08-31T22:10:00.004-04:00

I made this the other night and it turned out so well I had to share... This is something that I put together and thankfully it turned out well. Pardon the canned items that I used for the sauce!

Ingredients:

1 2.5 - 3 pound pot roast (I use chuck roast)
garlic powder
salt
pepper
1 can beef consomme
1 can cream of mushroom soup
mushrooms (optional)

Directions:

Generously season the meat with the garlic powder, salt, and pepper and brown on all sides. Place in a crock pot (add mushrooms if using) and cover with the beef consomme and cream of mushroom soup. Cook for about 8 hours on low.

That's it! This was really easy and really good. I served mine with mashed potatoes, mushrooms, and onions caramelized with worcestershire sauce.

I hope you all have a nice week!

2010-08-30T23:09:00.001-04:00

This is just a quick reminder - my Willow House party ends tomorrow at noon! If you have any last minute orders, there is still time to submit them.

I hope you all have a great week!

2010-08-25T14:26:00.000-04:00

I received this email today from Proverbs 31 Ministries and I loved this particular devotional and message. If you would like to receive these daily devotionals go here - http://www.proverbs31.org/dailydevotions/subscribe.php.

Today's message was very timely, because I have been trying to get it through my head that God is in control and as much as I want to plan every last detail of my life, I need to realize that He is in charge! I am sure that I will still be working on this particular lesson for quite some time, but I am trying to make progress! Ha ha!

The Truth is in the Handbag

25 Aug 2010

Shari Braendel

"Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me." Psalm 31:3 (NIV)

I recently watched as a frazzled shopper fumbled around in her bag trying to find her allusive keys. As she dug through her overstuffed purse, multiple items spilled out, landing on the counter and falling to the floor. Quickly, she began collecting her items.

I thought about her pretty purse, beautiful on the outside but hiding an unruly mess on the inside. And then I started thinking about how alike women and purses can be.

Maybe you're like a small purse that only has the capacity to hold a few things. Yet you try stuffing more into your life than you can hold, only to get frustrated. Perhaps one of those things is God: He's been crammed into a tiny space in your world and you don't give Him much room to rule because you feel more comfortable when you are in control.

Perhaps you're like a big purse, carrying all kinds of things. You're involving yourself in so many activities just because you can; with no real purpose to why you're doing it. You end up flustered like the shopper digging for her keys because you haven't spent the time needed to organize your spiritual life.

I know you're not a handbag, but when applying biblical truth and application, what kind of purse are you most like?

It's not God's desire for our inside to be out of sync with our outside. He desires for us to have our hearts turned toward Him and have our very pulse in beat with what He is doing in us.

Where should we start to curb the chaos, release our controlling tendencies and lighten the busyness to fall in step with God?

Start by being still. For some, that will go against every fiber of your being, but try it. Perhaps you abide in chaos because it's masking what is really going on with you, just like your pretty purse hides the unorganized mess within. Sit quietly and pray for God to help you be keenly aware of Him. Nothing that you are going through is a surprise to God.

Next, relax and trust the Lord. Sometimes feeling out of control causes you to hyper-control everything around you. Let go of your fears, doubts and worries and make room for God in your life.

Finally, clear your calendar. We overbook and over-schedule out of habit and now busy feels normal. Is your fast pace driven by fear, or does it define your value or identity? If so, re-evaluate where your time and energy are being spent and why.

Making a change doesn't come easily, but it can be done. Although seeking out time with God, learning to trust Him, and reorganizing your priorities can feel uncomfortable and difficult at first, I know for sure that it's not nearly as hard as living overcommitted and out of control.

Together, let's commit to cleaning out our "purses!"

Dear Father, will You please meet me right here, right now and quiet my heart so that I can rest and regroup? Thank You for the comfort of knowing that while I sometimes get waylaid, You never take Your eyes from me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Application Steps:
Take a moment to journal what you are thinking right now. This is for you only, so feel free to be absolutely honest and dig deep.

Challenge yourself to make one change; slow and steady wins the race.

Reflections:
Do I believe God is in control?

Do I trust Him with my whole heart? If not, what am I holding back and why?

If God has more planned for my life than just coping, can I embrace a change for the better?

Power Verses:
2 Thessalonians 3:3, "The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one." (NIV)

Hebrews 13:20-21, "May the God of peace...equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen." (NIV)

Zephaniah 3:17, "The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." (NIV)

Fall 2010 Clothes

2010-08-19T06:00:00.000-04:00

I am really looking forward to the fall. I say that before every season though. I think it is just the anticipation of something new. Anyway, I am trying to get my thoughts wrapped around what I want to buy for fall. I am not getting a ton of new stuff, just a few new things that I can add to what I already have.

I have had my eye on the Taylor Dress by Lilly Pulitzer ever since I saw it on DC GOP Girl's Blog. I love everything about this dress - the colors, the style, etc.

I love wearing clogs in the winter. I know some people hate them, but I think they are really comfortable. At least they are in style now - ha ha! I really like the Abbie clogs by Ugg. I have another pair of Ugg clogs in black, but I have almost worn them out so it's time to replace them.
I think this merino wool cardigan from Nordstrom is really cute. I don't know what color I will get, but I live in cardigans during the winter so this will definitely be something I will wear all the time.

I think this knit draped cardigan from Land's End looks really comfortable. I love things that I can wear during the weekend with jeans and clogs. That is pretty much my uniform for fall and winter weekends.

LL Bean Signature really has some cute things for fall. There are several things I want to order. This sweater would be perfect for work with dress pants and then I could also wear it with jeans on the weekends.

I think this dress is so cute.

I love the simple shape of this cardigan.

This is where I think I will be doing the majority of my fall shopping:

Talbot's

Land's End Canvas

LL Bean Signature

What do you all have your eyes on for fall?

Willow House - save up to 50%!

2010-08-16T21:54:00.004-04:00

There are just a few days left to take advantage of all the specials that Callie is offering for my blog party!!

Callie is offering the following specials to my readers:

* 10% off your total if you spend up to $50
* 15% off your total if you spend $50 +
* 1 half price item $39.96 or less if you spend $40
* The chance to be entered for a $40 gift card (everyone who places an order will be entered; and if you become a follower of Callie on facebook or her blog, willowhousemom.com, you get 1 extra entry; and if you blog about my blog party you will get an extra entry)!!

To place an order, go to callieparker.willowhouse.com and then choose "Order." Select "Find a Host" and enter me, Mrs (first name) LSJ (last name). Callie will have to go back in and adjust the prices for your order to reflect your discounts! Please email willowhousemom@gmail.com if you have any questions with placing your order!

My Willow House blog party will be closing in just a few days - August 28. Thank you for looking! I hope you all have a great week!

Five for Friday on Saturday

2010-08-14T15:54:00.007-04:00

One of my favorite blog/twitter friends, One Fabulous Mom, tagged me on her Five for Friday post. She shared five things that she is loving right now. Here is my list!

1. My adirondack chairs. I love sitting outside on my porch at night after work and reading a magazine or chatting with my husband. It's so peaceful outside at night.

2. Fresh produce. I love cooking, and there is nothing like cooking with fresh, seasonal produce. Whenever fruits and vegetables are not in season I just think they aren't as good.

3. Football. I just cannot describe what football is like in the south. I cannot wait for it to start up again! I love getting together with friends on Sundays to watch the game and cookout, and going to games when we can. The tailgating, the cheering of the crowd, I cannot wait!

4. Kaboom shower cleaner. Yes, I am now officially old and dorky. Ha ha! This stuff works great though. It's a foam that goes on blue and turns white when it's finished working. No more scrubbing my shower. Hallelujah! I wasn't paid to promote this, nor was I given this product to try. I just thought it worked really well!

5. My new iPhone 4. I love this thing. Thomas and I got them when they came out and have really enjoyed using them. They are much faster than the older iPhones and the picture quality is a lot better.

I am tagging my mom and my sister! I hope you all have a great weekend!

Willow House Giveaway!

2010-08-06T17:46:00.002-04:00

In addition to the specials that Callie is already offering for my blog party - a 10% discount off of your order and 50% off of one item up to $40 if you spend $39.96 - we have another surprise to add... for anyone who places an order, you will also be entered into a drawing to win a $40 gift certificate to be used on your next order with Callie!!

To win the $40 gift certificate you have to place an order to be entered. When you place your order leave a comment stating that you placed an order and what you would like to use your gift card to buy. If you mention this blog party on your blog you get an extra entry, and if you become a follower of Callie's blog you will receive an extra entry. Please be sure to leave separate comments so that I can use random number generator to pick the winner. Good luck!

Here are some of the items that I have from Southern Living at Home that are now available through Willow House.

I use the Ruffled Glass Bowl for tons of different things. During Easter I used it to display my glittered eggs on the console table in my hallway. During Christmas I like to put Christmas ornaments inside. I also use it as a serving dish. I have definitely gotten tons of use out of this!

I use the Camille Vases on my bar. I like how they look with my Wedgwood tea set. These are great to use for a vase when you don't have a huge arrangement to display.

I use the smaller Rosedale Plant Holder to hold my kitchen sponge, sink stoppers, pot scrubbers, etc. Yes, it would look much neater if I put them under the cabinet, but I like them to be accessible.

I keep the Estate Trivet Trio above my oven. I like how these look displayed on the wall, but they are also right there when I need one.

Happy Friday! I hope that you all have a great weekend!

Willow House Blog Party!

2010-08-04T19:18:00.005-04:00

I have been a long time buyer of Southern Living at Home, so when I heard about the introduction of Willow House I was excited to see what was new! The new products in the catalog are amazing! I was not disappointed! Some of my favorite SLAH products are still available and there are tons of new things, too. These are all high quality items that can be used for years. I have products that I bought from SLAH after they launched in 2001!

I was excited to meet up with Callie Parker to host this blog party! Callie is a sweet person and I am happy to have found a new Willow House consultant! She is friendly and full of fun decorating ideas. You can keep up with Callie at her blog, willowhousemom.com, and on facebook, facebook.com/willowhousemom. Keep reading for details on how to order and information on the special discount Callie is offering to my readers!

Today I am going to show you some of the new products that are on my wish list! Later this week I am going to share how I have used some of these products in my house. My favorite thing about the products are how versatile they are. I can use them year round, for formal or informal occasions.

I love the Annabelle Iron Votives. I think these would be great used for candle holders, but I would also use these for bud vases, or to hold condiments when I had a party. The glass insert is removable, so you could fill them with ketchup, mayo, etc. and place them throughout the table.

I think the Decorative Card and Photo Display would be perfect for the holidays. We always get tons of cards that I want to enjoy during the holiday season, but they end up in a pile on our counter. Problem solved!

One of the other items on my list is the French Wire Tiered Stand. I love the versatility of this. It can be used as a double or triple tiered stand, or each tier can be used upside down to elevate a platter or serving bowl. The Halloween candy display in this picture is pure eye candy. I like how they mixed the cupcakes, candy, and candied apples.

Below is a link to view the complete product line on Callie's website.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now for the fun part! For my blog party, Callie has graciously agreed to give 10% off all orders! AND if you order is $39.96 or over, you qualify for 50% off of any item $40 and under!!

Here's what to do:

Go to Callie's site: Willow House with Callie

Click on: Shop Online You can either choose to Browse the Catalog or Shop Online

When you Shop Online, you will choose the item (or items) that you would like, one at a time, and add them to your cart.

When you are finished, hit Finalize and Submit Order

You will be prompted to find a hostess, that's me! Mrs LSJ

You will enter your information and hit submit.

Once you press "Submit," you will be brought back to the Shop Online page, don't worry! Your order went through if you pressed submit. However, Callie will then have to contact you to get your payment information.

You can also email Callie at willowhousemom@gmail.com to send in your order!

Also, don't forget, when you purchase something $39.96 and over, you automatically qualify for 50% off ANY item $40 and under. When you qualify, add this item to your order as well, and Callie will make sure it goes in with the correct price!

Thank you and happy shopping!

Happy Wednesday!

2010-08-04T13:02:00.001-04:00

Hello! I hope that you all are having a great week and a nice summer! I cannot believe that it is already August. It really seems like summer just started. We have gone to the mountains a few times and we just got back a few weeks ago from Ocean Isle. The weather at the beach was beautiful and it was just the break that I needed. Other than that, we have been lying low and enjoying our summer!

I was just checking in to say hello and let you all know that I have several posts coming up in the next week or so. I have a blog party that I am going to be hosting... more info to come on that... I can't wait to share it with you all! I also wanted to post about a restaurant that we tried and share a few new recipes.

Have a nice afternoon and I will catch up soon!

My Favorite Pimento Cheese

2010-07-02T09:55:00.003-04:00

This is my all time favorite pimento cheese recipe from one of my all time favorite recipe sources, Southern Living. It is from the May 2010 SL magazine. I didn't realize that people in other parts of the country don't typically eat pimiento cheese. I like it on sandwiches, on hamburgers, on crackers, on celery, etc. This stuff is quite addictive, so proceed with caution. ;-)

Our Favorite Pimiento Cheese

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise (make sure this is good mayo like Duke’s – and no cheating with the low fat stuff!!)
1 (4-oz.) jar diced pimento, drained
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon finely grated onion
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 cup chopped pecans (sometimes I include them, sometimes I don’t)
1 (8-oz.) block extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (I use Cabot white cheddar – yum!)
1 (8-oz.) block sharp Cheddar cheese
Celery sticks and assorted crackers

Preparation

Make the mayo mixture. In a large bowl, stir together mayonnaise, diced pimento, Worcestershire sauce, grated onion, and ground red pepper until blended. Sometimes I add a little garlic salt if I am in the mood.

Toast the pecans. Toasting brings out the rich flavor of the nuts. Preheat your oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. (Stirring helps to ensure even browning.)

Shred the cheese. Trust us--texture matters. [This is where I mix it up a bit from the original recipe. I use my cuisinart to grate the extra sharp cheddar. Then I use the blade to shred the cheese even more. It almost looks like cornmeal. Then I put the grater back on and grate the sharp cheddar.] Freshly grated cheese really makes a difference!!

Stir and enjoy. Add pecans and shredded cheeses to mayo mixture, stirring until blended. You can store it in the refrigerator up to 1 week. Serve with celery sticks and assorted crackers, or make a grilled pimiento cheese sandwich in a skillet or panini press.

Menu Monday! (on Sunday)

2010-06-27T12:43:00.004-04:00

Another week at home - yay! Here is our menu for this week:

Sunday Night: Scallops Provencal with roasted parmesan asparagus and brown rice pilaf. The scallop recipe is another Ina Garten recipe from Barefoot in Paris. For the roasted asparagus, I just toss the asparagus with olive oil, salt, and pepper on a cookie sheet and roast at 425 for about 10-15 minutes. Then I add shredded parmesan at the end. I mix up the ingredients to my brown rice pilaf, sometimes I use shallots instead of onion, I might add garlic if I have it on hand, sometimes I omit the peas, or I might also substitute beef stock for chicken stock.

Monday Night: Linguine with Shrimp Scampi from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa at Home. I have had this recipe on my list of recipes to try, but then I saw it on Blue Eyed Bride and decided to make it this week. Ina Garten is one of my favorite sources for delicious recipes so I am sure this will be good.

Tuesday Night: Teriyaki pork tenderloin from Let's Dish. I go every few months or so and stock my freezer with Let's Dish meals to have on hand. This is one that I made this month.

Wednesday Night: Pork chops crusted with Italian panko breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. I mix together about 1/2 cup of panko and a few tablespoons of freshly shredded parmesan cheese. I dip the pork chops in egg (or egg white) and then coat it in the panko/parmesan. I saute these, but you can also bake them in the oven. We are having these with peas and portabellas tossed in butter and garlic. The panko breadcrumbs are really good! They taste like regular breadcrumbs but they are crispier.

Thursday Night: Beef kabobs with pineapple and mushrooms from Let's Dish.

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Show us your life Friday...

2010-06-12T10:00:00.008-04:00

Kelly's show us your life topic for Friday was right up my alley - china patterns! I love, love, love using my china. We use it quite often when we entertain and we also use it at home for special occasions. I love browsing the china department and seeing the new patterns. When I got married I was so excited to register for tableware. As usual, Thomas just went along with it and tried to muster up a little excitement! Ha ha!

The patterns below are the ones that we use day to day. I have several Southern Living at Home, Arthur Court, and sterling silver serving pieces that I use with all of my patterns. I like to mix and match the serving pieces from each pattern with my silver, pewter, and glass serving pieces. Now I just need a butler's pantry to store all this...

My favorite of all my china patterns is my Christmas china, Bernardaud Grenadiers. I love using it during Christmas. I love the whimsical and elegant design.

I recently bought another formal pattern - Kate Spade's Library Lane for Lenox. I love the navy and gold with the polka dot accent plate.

The formal pattern that we registered for at our wedding was Imperial Scroll by Vera Wang for Wedgwood.

Our everyday crystal is French Countryside by Mikasa. I love this pattern and it is very inexpensive. $10 per stem!

Our formal crystal pattern is Kelsey by Waterford. I want to start adding the champagne flutes to my collection.

Our everyday china is Traditions by Wedgwood. Our wedding guests were very generous, and we received tons of this. My favorite is the teapot, sugar, and creamer. These were given to me by dear friends and make me smile when I see them on my bar. I hesitated about registering for a white china pattern too, but I am so glad I did! I wanted something timeless that I would still enjoy using years later.

We also have a set of the Gallery Collection dinnerware from Southern Living at Home. I don't use this as our everyday set anymore, but I still use a ton of the serving pieces.

I have posted about my china love/obsession a few times before. I hope you all don't think I am crazy! Ha ha!

Have a great weekend!

Preppy Mafia Blog of the Week...

2010-06-09T08:37:00.005-04:00

This week I am featured as the blog of the week over at The Preppy Mafia! Yay! Thanks to 2 Preppy Girls and Beth Dunn at Social Climbers for sponsoring me! :-) Please be sure to check out their blogs as there is always something fun going on with these ladies!

Collars up!

2010-06-04T10:14:00.005-04:00

Dear Lilly Pulitzer,

Thanks to you, I have spent entirely too much money this summer on all the cute new clothes that have hit my favorite Lilly store. Thankfully my husband found it humorous that I got a little carried away one night on a shopping spree with my mom and sister (who, ahem!, did not help me stick to my budget). Word of caution - do not have a dirty martini and then go shopping unless your husband is as understanding as mine.

XOXO,

Lauren

PS - Now that the blue toile print has come out, I may need to add a few more items to my list.

*Disclaimer* Readers, I write this in jest! I love Lilly and think the summer line is adorable! ;-) Seriously though, my husband is a great man, and I love the fact that he tolerates my affinity for Lilly, the color pink, and china! He doesn't even complain that my stuff takes over our closet! Ha ha!

Menu Monday

2010-06-01T06:00:00.000-04:00

This week I am going to be in town all week - yay! - so I planned a weeks worth of meals. I use Lowe's Foods to Go (LFTG). For $4.95, it's a cheap time saver. You shop online and then choose when you would like to pick up your groceries. When you get there, you just stay in your car at the drive up and they bring everything out. To me, it's worth every cent of that $4.95 fee.

When I am planning meals, I get the cookbooks that I am going to be using and skim through them in my kitchen. I keep LFTG up on my computer so that I can add whatever ingredients I need as I plan our meals. I like doing this in my kitchen because I can check quickly to see what I have on hand. Normally I plan out my meals on Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

This is the list that I create each week with our meals organized by night. This is all written on a big post-it that I stick on my cabinet. I like doing this because I don't have to remember which night we are having what. Plus, I can look the night before and see if I need to thaw anything out.

I am not sure what we are going to have tonight or tomorrow night. Hmm... date night maybe?

This week we are having:

Cilantro-ginger flank steak with edamame and rice

Peanut crusted chicken with asparagus and rice

Pork chops with Dijon cream sauce, roasted potatoes, and carrots

Mushroom-Herb Chicken with broccoli and risotto

I am also making peach cobbler - yum!

What are your tricks for dinners during the week?

Happy Memorial Day!

2010-05-30T16:12:00.003-04:00

eye candy from MarthaStewart.com

I thank god for my life
And for the stars and stripes
May freedom forever fly

Let it ring
Salute the ones who died
And the ones that gave their lives so we don`t have to sacrifice
All the things we love
- Zac Brown Band (from one of my favorite songs, Chicken Fried)

I hope that you all are having a great Memorial Day weekend! I am thrilled to be relaxing at home doing nothing! Have fun and please remember to say a prayer for those who sacrifice so much to allow us these freedoms!

New Cookbooks!

2010-05-26T21:24:00.005-04:00

I finally received the cookbooks that I posted about a week or so ago. I have thumbed through them and cooked several recipes and I love them! The recipes are all really quick and easy and perfect for after work.

So far we have had:

Lemon Red Snapper with Herbed Butter (I used halibut and parsley & roasted garlic to make the herb butter). Thomas and I both really liked this.

Shrimp with Capers, Garlic, and Rice - I made this for friends using 13 count shrimp

Seared Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Shallot-Mushroom Pan Gravy and Balsamic Green Beans - This was really good, especially if you like mushrooms.

They were all very good and easy to make. These cookbooks are definitely keepers!

Have a great weekend!

2010-05-16T15:37:00.003-04:00

I found this recipe thanks to Erin at Blue Eyed Bride. Thanks, Erin for sharing this cookbook with us! Let me tell you - this recipe was really good, easy, fast, and healthy. Thank goodness! I ordered both of the Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast cookbooks and can't wait to start using them. I will let y'all know my favorites.

I made this with roasted asparagus (Take asparagus, and put on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and top with salt and pepper. Then bake at 375 for about 12 minutes). Below is the chicken recipe from CookingLight.com:

The pronounced lemon-pine character of rosemary goes well with olive oil and Dijon mustard, giving this grilled chicken a rustic Mediterranean flair.

Prep Time: 6 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 1 tablespoon mustard cream)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon whole-grain Dijon mustard, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon water
Rosemary sprigs (optional)

Preparation

1. Prepare grill.

2. Combine 1 teaspoon mustard, oil, and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl; brush evenly over chicken. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 6 minutes on each side or until done.

3. While chicken grills, combine 1 tablespoon mustard, mayonnaise, and 1 tablespoon water in a bowl. Serve mustard cream with grilled chicken. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired.

Nutritional Information
Calories:262 (34% from fat)
Fat:10g (sat 1.8g,mono 4g,poly 3g)
Protein:39.6g
Carbohydrate:1.7g
Fiber:0.2g
Cholesterol:102mg
Iron:1.4mg
Sodium:448mg
Calcium:25mg

Bananas Foster French Toast

2010-05-16T15:30:00.003-04:00

I made this recipe from the Williams Sonoma catalog last weekend for brunch. If you love bananas foster, you have to try this! It was easy to make and I loved having the bananas and sauce instead of maple syrup.

The recipe and photo are both from my favorite store, Williams Sonoma.

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
6 Tbs. firmly packed dark brown sugar
Kosher salt, to taste
4 day-old slices brioche or other egg bread, each 1 inch thick
6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
4 bananas, cut on the bias into 1/2-inch slices
1/4 cup dark rum
1/2 tsp. vanilla bean paste (I used vanilla)
3 Tbs. water

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 200ºF.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, cinnamon, milk, 1 Tbs. of the brown sugar and a pinch of salt until well combined. Pour half of the egg mixture into a deep pie dish. Soak 1 bread slice, turning once, for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining bread and egg mixture. Gently pour any remaining egg mixture over the bread until absorbed.

In an 11-inch French skillet over medium heat, melt 1 1/2 Tbs. of the butter. Add 2 bread slices and cook, turning once, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire cooling rack set over a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with 1 1/2 Tbs. of the butter and the remaining bread.

In a 9-inch French skillet over medium-high heat, melt the remaining 3 Tbs. butter. Add the bananas and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully pour in the rum, then add the remaining 5 Tbs. brown sugar, the vanilla bean paste, water and a pinch of salt. Stir to coat the bananas evenly. Simmer until the bananas are soft and the sauce is thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer the French toast to individual plates and top with the bananas. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Target

2010-05-09T23:30:00.006-04:00

Here lately I have found so many cute things at Target. I was able to order the starfish necklace from Target.com. Yay! It came in a few days ago and is really cute. I am not sure yet how I am going to wear it. I will probably wear a white top, but I am not 100% sure.

I have loved this dress since I saw it on the sign several months ago. I love this print and got a little carried away. I bought -

the dress...

the skirt...

and the tunic!

Good thing I like blue and white. Ha ha! At Target prices I couldn't pass it all up.

I hope you all have a great week!

Lasagna

2010-05-09T23:23:00.002-04:00

I have tried several of the Pioneer Woman's recipes lately and have loved them! I made this the other night and halved the recipe. I have the other part in the freezer for another night. It was very good and a nice change from traditional lasagna.

Ingredients

1-½ pound Ground Beef
1 pound Hot Breakfast Sausage
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
2 cans (14.5 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes
2 cans (6 Ounce) Tomato Paste
Chopped fresh Parsley
8-10 fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon Salt
3 cups Lowfat Cottage Cheese
2 whole Beaten Eggs
½ cups Grated (not Shredded) Parmesan Cheese
2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
1 teaspoon Salt
1 pound Mozzarella Cheese
1 package Barilla no bake Lasagna Noodles

Preparation Instructions

In a large skillet or saucepan, combine ground beef, sausage, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain half the fat; less if you’re feeling naughty. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley to taste, 1/2 basil and salt. After adding the tomatoes, the sauce mixture should simmer for 45 minutes while you are working on the other steps.

In a medium bowl, mix cottage cheese, beaten eggs, grated Parmesan, parsley to taste, the remaining basil and 1 more teaspoon salt. Stir together well. Set aside.

To assemble:

Arrange 4 lasagna noodles in the bottom of a baking pan, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles. Spread evenly. Cover cottage cheese with a layer of mozzarella cheese. Spoon a little less than half the meat/sauce mixture over the top.

Repeat, ending with meat/sauce mixture. Sprinkle top generously with extra Parmesan.
Either freeze, refrigerate for up to two days, or bake immediately: 350-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until top is hot and bubbly.

Beth Moore Winner!

2010-05-09T23:20:00.003-04:00

Congratulations, Becca! I drew your name to pass along So Long Insecurity. Please send me your mailing address to southernewlywed@aol.com and I will drop the book in the mail. :-)

Beth Moore So Long Insecurity Weekend and a Giveaway!

2010-04-25T11:22:00.006-04:00

Wow! Where do I begin!? I had the best time this weekend with my mom and my sister seeing Beth Moore at her SLI simulcast. There were 9,000 women in Atlanta at the live event and 300,000 women viewed the simulcast. I cannot describe the feeling of worshipping Him in the midst of 9,000 sisters in Christ. Beth Moore was a wonderful speaker and I really enjoyed hearing what she had to say. It's just hard to describe what it was like being there. I know that lives were changed yesterday.

On top of the incredible event, I got to meet several other bloggers! These women were amazing. I am so glad to have had the opportunity to meet so many women that I have gotten to know over the past few years.

I got to meet Erin from Blue Eyed Bride. She was so kind and so cute in person! I loved seeing how she glowed when she talked about sweet Hudson and Todd. :) She doesn't live far from me, so hopefully we can see each other again soon!

I also got to meet Kelly from Kelly's Korner. I have followed her blog for several years now. I read as she struggled with infertility, then eventually got pregnant with Harper (yay!), and then dealt with the realization that Harper may not live after she was born. Throughout it all, I have been inspired by Kelly and her love for the Lord. She was such a cute, kind, sweet person and I am so glad that I got to meet her! I think He is using her for great things. She was a bit like a celebrity at the event!

I enjoyed meeting Betsy from Betsy Maddox. She was so cute and was there with her sweet daughter Ashley. Lyndsey from All things Fluffy... Fashionable... and Famous was there. She was so sweet and looked great! These girls made mommyhood look good! :) Mrs. Naturally Caffeinated Family was there too and I was able to meet her. After meeting her, I can see how she chose her blog name! She was so sweet and had such an upbeat, fun personality. I also got to meet Megan from Tales of the Trees. She was so sweet and had the best hair! Another blogger with great hair was Trina from XOXO, Trina. I didn't get to talk with them too long, but it was great to meet them!

I wanted to pass along my copy of So Long Insecurity to a reader that hasn't read it yet. If you are interested and don't already have a copy, please leave a comment below asking to be entered and I will draw a name next weekend.

I hope you all have a great week!

Target Starfish Necklace

2010-04-14T08:36:00.005-04:00

Good morning! I hope you all are having a nice week!

I fell in love with this necklace when I saw it on One Fabulous Mom's Blog. I have been searching high and low for this Target Starfish necklace. Have any of you all seen it at your Target? I would be happy to pay someone for it if you come across it.

Have a nice Wednesday!

Target Finds

2010-04-01T06:00:00.000-04:00

Kelly did a show us your life post a few weeks ago and I meant to link, but then never did. Ha! Anyway, better late than never! Some of my favorite products are a little pricier, but there are several cheap products that I swear by. Here are a few in no particular order.

Loreal Infallible Eye Liner: This stuff is cheap, never needs to be sharpened, and stays on all day. I usually buy brown.

Johnson and Johnson Purpose Face Wash: I have been using this face wash for years. It really cleans your face without making it feel too tight or dry. I even take my eye makeup off with this.

Loreal Voluminous Waterproof Mascara: This mascara is waterproof, makes your lashes thick and stays on all day. I have long lashes, so I like that I can curl them and this mascara doesn't weigh them down and uncurl them after I put it on.

Cetaphil Daily Cleanser for Normal/Oily Skin: During the summertime when my skin is a little oilier I like to use this cleanser at night. It doesn't dry my skin out, but it is a bit stronger than Purpose.

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Liquid Sunscreen: I bought this a few weeks ago and have really liked it. This sunscreen is light and doesn't make my skin oilier than it already is. I was wearing the regular ultra sheer, but I will be using this now because it is even lighter.

What are your favorite inexpensive products?

Show Us Your Life - Cleaning Tips

2010-03-28T09:25:00.005-04:00

I do not have anything earth shattering to say about keeping your house clean. As a matter of fact, I need a lot of help in that department! I only have so many hours in the day and keeping my house clean always goes to the bottom of the list. My mom told me that when I get older, I am never going to wish that I had spent more time cleaning. I think that might be the best cleaning advice! Even though I don't like cleaning, I do like to buy cleaning products. These are a few that I really like.

I bought these Scotch Brite cloths on drugstore.com years ago. I use them to clean my kitchen counters. They pick up crumbs very well and then you can throw them in the washing machine when you are done.

I love these weird looking dust mitts from Williams Sonoma. I bought two a few years ago and use them all the time. They are made out of microfiber so they attract and hold on to dust. You put one on like a glove, dust wherever you need to, and then toss it in the washing machine.

I don't like to clean my shower. It takes forever and I never can find anything that works really well. This Scrubbing Bubbles shower cleaner has helped a little bit. You spray it in your shower and then let it sit for a few minutes. It cuts through a lot of the dirt that is in your shower and then you can wipe it down with a sponge.

I also like to use the Swiffer. One of my friends told me about these about a month ago and I love it. You can use dry cloths to sweep and wet cloths to mop. It is reasonably priced and easy to use. I bought the pink one at Target.

Maple Mustard Pork Chops

2010-03-28T08:41:00.003-04:00

This recipe is from the cover of last month's Cooking Light Magazine. I love this magazine for healthy and simple recipes. These pork chops are very easy to make and most of the ingredients are things you probably already have on hand.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 pork chop and 1 tablespoon sauce)

Ingredients

4 (6-ounce) bone-in center-cut pork chops
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

1. Sprinkle both sides of pork with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until cooked through, but with a slight blush in the center. Remove from pan; keep warm.

3. Return pan to medium-high heat. Add butter to pan, swirling pan to coat. Add shallots; sauté 3 minutes or until tender and translucent. Add broth; bring to a boil, and cook 1 minute. Stir in mustard, syrup, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 1 minute or until slightly thick. Return pork to pan. Cook pork 1 minute on each side or until thoroughly heated (be careful not to overcook pork). Serve pork with sauce. Garnish each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons parsley.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

2010-03-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

photo from gourmet.com

I made this recipe from the Pioneer Woman last weekend for friends. As I expected, Ree didn't disappoint!

Ingredients:

Meatballs:

¾ pounds Ground Beef
¾ pounds Ground Pork
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
¾ cups Fine Bread Crumbs (I used store bought, but I do prefer homemade)
2 whole Eggs
¾ cups Freshly Grated Parmesan
¼ cups Italian Parsley, Minced
¼ teaspoons Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Splash Of Milk
½ cups Olive Oil

Sauce:

1 whole Onion, Diced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 whole (28-ounce) Can Whole Tomatoes (Use San Marzano and you will not be disappointed!!)
1 whole 28 Ounce Can Crushed Tomatoes
½ cups Red Wine
¼ teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoon Sugar
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
¼ cups Flat-leaf Parsley, Minced
2 pounds linguine, Cooked To Al Dente (I used barilla whole wheat)

Preparation Instructions:

To make the meatballs, combine meat, garlic, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, eggs, salt, pepper, parsley, and a splash of milk in a mixing bowl. Mix together well with hands. Use an ice cream scoop and roll into 1 1/2-inch balls. Place on a cookie sheet. Put cookie sheet into the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to firm up.

To brown the meatballs, heat olive oil in a heavy pot or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs 8 at a time, turning to brown. Be careful, because if you are using your Le Creuset, these will cook fast!! Remove and drain on a paper towel after each batch. Set meatballs aside.

In the same pot, add the onions and garlic and cook for a few minutes, or until translucent. Pour in whole tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and wine. Add salt, pepper, sugar, and parsley. Stir to combine and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.

Add meatballs to pot and stir in gently. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring very gently a couple of times during the simmer.

Serve over cooked linguine. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan.

Herb Garden

2010-02-27T15:31:00.003-05:00

photo from MarthaStewart.com

I love cooking with fresh herbs, so I am thinking about planting an herb garden on my porch this spring. Does anyone have any experience with this? Did you grow yours from seed or buy the plant? I am terrible when it comes to keeping plants alive, so any advice would be much appreciated!!

Spring Fever

2010-02-27T15:15:00.003-05:00

eye candy from MarthaStewart.com

I don't know what it is, but this year I have spring fever worse than ever before. I think it's all the snow and bad weather we have had this year. [I know we haven't had it nearly as bad in the south as most of the country has, but it has still been bad.]

I am excited about Easter coming up and all the fun things that spring brings - beautiful flowers, spring cleaning, warmer weather, longer days, and the list could go on! Ha ha!

I hope you all have a great weekend!

2010-02-17T08:32:00.001-05:00

I am so excited about the upcoming Beth Moore event, So Long Insecurity! There are a ton of bloggers going - see Kelly's post for a complete list - including my mom and my sister. We are going to road trip it to Atlanta from Charlotte and spend the weekend there. I can hardly wait! I hope that we will get the chance to run into some of our blog friends.

I just ordered my copy of So Long Insecurity and am going to follow along on Beth's blog as she hosts a discussion group on the new book. The discussion group will commence right before the Atlanta event. For those of you who cannot attend the Atlanta event, it will be simulcast in tons of host churches. Click here for a complete list.

I am looking forward reading this book! I think it is coming into my life at just the right time. Are any of you all going to the event that I don't know of? Let me know!

I hope you all have a great week!

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry with Mushrooms

2010-02-07T10:08:00.000-05:00

This is a new recipe I tried the other night that was so, so good! I love Asian food but I can be a little iffy about Chinese takeout, so this was a welcome change.

Ingredients:

1 pound flank steak
3 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons soy sauce
8 teaspoons cornstarch
6 tablespoons plus 1¼ cup canned low-salt chicken broth
2 tablespoons oyster sauce (or teriyaki sauce)
4 teaspoons oriental sesame oil
6 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger, minced
2 pounds broccoli, cut into florets
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
jasmine rice, prepared according to package directions

Directions:

Cut steak with grain into 2-inch-wide pieces, then slice thinly across grain. Combine 3 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch in large bowl. Add steak and stir to coat. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Combine 6 tablespoons broth, remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and 6 teaspoons cornstarch, ¼ cup broth, and next 3 ingredients in small bowl, stirring to dissolve cornstarch completely.

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in wok or heavy large skillet over high heat. Add steak with marinade and stir-fry until no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Transfer to platter. Add ginger and stir until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add broccoli and stir-fry 1 minute. Add 1 cup broth. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 2½ minutes. Transfer broccoli to bowl. Add mushrooms; cook 2 minutes. Return steak and broccoli to wok. Stir sauce, add to wok and stir until sauce thickens, about 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to platter.
Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.

Checking in

2010-01-30T08:56:00.002-05:00

Good morning! I cannot believe it has been so long since I have updated my blog. Everything is going well, I have been busy with work and the holidays so my blog has gotten neglected. :( I have some fun posts to put up in the next several weeks. Until then, have a wonderful weekend!

Mac and Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Bacon

2009-12-23T08:14:00.003-05:00

I made this last night and it was delicious. Definitely one to keep. This is an adaptation of Pioneer Woman's Fancy Mac and Cheese. Next time I might try adding bread crumbs to the top.

Ingredients (Serves 6)

2 cups Macaroni
4 Tablespoons Butter
2 whole Medium Onions, Cut In Half And Sliced Thin
5 slices Regular Bacon
1/2 Tablespoon Bacon Grease (reserved From Bacon Slices)
2 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour
1 1/2 cups Whole Or 2% Milk
1/4 cups Whipping Cream
1 whole Egg Yolks, Beaten
Salt & Pepper (to Taste)
2 cups Italian shredded cheese - I used mozzarella, provolone, fontina, Parmesan, and Romano

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook macaroni for half the time of the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Fry bacon until slightly, but not overly, crispy. Drain on a paper towel. Reserve grease.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet and saute onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown and soft. Set aside.

In a pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat for 1 minute. Pour in milk and whipping cream, then cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until thick. Reduce heat to low. Add salt & pepper to taste. (Do not under salt!)
Beat egg yolk and drizzle 1/4 cup hot mixture into the yolks, stirring constantly. Stir to combine. Pour egg mixture into sauce and cook for another minute.

Add cheeses and stir until melted. Add onions and bacon and stir. Taste for seasonings and add more salt if needed. Add cooked macaroni and stir to coat.

Pour into a baking dish and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until sizzling and hot.

Tomato Soup

2009-12-21T08:53:00.004-05:00

Photo from MarthaStewart.com

We had the best tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches at our friends house the other night. Below is the recipe - it is quick, easy, and so good!

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
24 ounces canned whole plum tomatoes
2 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock
1 cup cream
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until onions have softened, about 15 minutes.

2. Add tomatoes, chicken stock, cream, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook until tomatoes, onions, and garlic are soft, 10 to 20 minutes.

3. Use an immersion blender or Cuisinart and puree the soup until smooth. Return to saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook until soup is heated through. If soup seems too thick, stir in some extra stock to thin. Serve immediately.

2009-12-20T13:36:00.002-05:00

Wow! I cannot believe it is already the Sunday before Christmas! I hope you all are doing well and are much further along with all of your Christmas preperation than I am!

I am off work all week this week - whoo hoo! I cannot wait! I still have to do a lot to get ready for the holidays. I will be card writing, cooking, shopping, wrapping gifts, and cleaning the house.

I hope you all have a fabulous week and enjoy all the sights and sounds of the holiday!

Luke 2:14 - Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2009-11-28T16:05:00.006-05:00

Yesterday my husband and I got our Christmas tree and we put it up last night. I am so excited about the holidays this year - spending time with family and friends, enjoying some of my favorite foods, having friends over for dinner, drinking hot chocolate by the tree, listening to Christmas music, watching some of my favorite movies, and taking some time off work!!

I bought the Martha Stewart holiday CD's a few years ago, and I have really enjoyed them. There is a classical CD, a jazz CD, and a CD full of traditional holiday songs. I like having a nice assortment of music styles

Does this need any explanation? Ha ha!
I love Miracle on 34th Street, the original version and the newer version.

The Holiday is a newer Christmas favorite.

The Family Man is hands down my all time favorite movie. I think it is such a great story and it provides such a great message. It isn't necessarily a Christmas movie, but it is set during Christmas.

What are your favorite Christmas movies and music?

My Dream Christmas List

2009-11-28T11:32:00.009-05:00

Okay, so maybe this is a little gauche, we are in a recession... But it is still fun to dream, isn't it? Following is my Dream Christmas list with no regard to price!

I am in love with this Milly Tiffany dress... The black silk, the pearl neckline, the pink lining, it just makes my heart race.

I would love to go on a vacation to somewhere warm and sunny. Give me an elegant hotel, a week with no email/voicemail/tv and I would be a happy girl.

I love Herend and now they have the cutest chihuahua figurine. I have a chihuahua, so I think this is particularly adorable.

I do not wear a watch now. Mainly because I don't want to buy a watch until I can get exactly what I want. I have always wanted a Cartier watch, but I am not sure if I want the Tank or the Roadster.

A new Kitchen... I love to cook and would love a large updated kitchen with new appliances. And please Santa, I NEED a gas range!

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas!

Penne a la Vodka

2009-11-28T11:18:00.004-05:00

I made this recipe last Sunday night and even my husband (not the biggest pasta fan...) liked it. It is quick and easy to make and most things you probably already have on hand. The first time I made it, I forgot to add the cream (oops!) but it was still okay. The second time I did remember to add the cream, and I added sliced Italian sausage.

Ingredients:

Salt
One 35-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes with their liquid
1 pound penne
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 cloves garlic, peeled
Crushed hot red pepper
1/4 cup vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil for finishing the sauce
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Instructions:

Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot over high heat.

Pour the tomatoes and their liquid into the work bowl of a food processor. Using quick on/off pulses, process the tomatoes just until they are finely chopped. This takes about 10 seconds.

Stir the penne into the boiling water. Bring the water back to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook the pasta, semi-covered, stirring occasionally, until done, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Whack the garlic cloves with the side of a knife and add them to the hot oil. Cook, shaking the skillet, until the garlic is lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Lower the work bowl with the tomatoes close to the skillet and carefully — they will splatter — slide the tomatoes into the pan. Bring to a boil, season lightly with salt and generously with crushed red pepper, and boil 2 minutes. Pour in the vodka, lower the heat so the sauce is at a lively simmer, and simmer until the pasta is ready.

Just before the pasta is done, fish the garlic cloves out of the sauce and pour in the cream. Add the 2 tablespoons butter or oil, if using, and swirl the skillet to incorporate into the sauce. Fish the pasta out of the boiling water with a large wire skimmer and drop it directly into the sauce in the skillet. Bring the sauce and pasta to a boil, stirring to coat the pasta with sauce. Check the seasoning, adding salt and red pepper if necessary. Sprinkle the parsley over the pasta and boil until the sauce is reduced enough to cling to the pasta.

Remove the pot from the heat, sprinkle 3/4 cup of the cheese over the pasta, and toss to mix. Serve immediately, passing additional cheese if you like.

Slow Cooked Mushrooms

2009-11-15T14:48:00.004-05:00

I made these mushrooms last night for a potluck dinner and they were super easy and delicious. They remind me of the mushrooms that you get at steakhouses (Morton's, Del Frisco's, etc). I adapted the adaptation of The Pioneer Woman's slow cooked mushrooms featured in the November issue of Southern Living. They do require four (unattended) hours to cook, but it is certainly worth the time.

Ingredients

4 pounds fresh mushrooms (I used half button and half baby portabella)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 (750-milliliter) bottle dry red wine
1 can reduced sodium beef stock
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 beef bouillon cube
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Preparation

1. Bring all ingredients to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, maintaining a slow boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 hours or until liquid is reduced to about 1 cup.

Lilly that got away... sort of!

2009-11-15T14:15:00.006-05:00

I was so excited when I received my email about the Lilly Jubilee sale. Last December I went to the Jubilee Trunk show and fell in love with the Elias dress. I loved the timeless style and the beading (I love glitter and anything shiny). The picture below does not do this dress justice. It is made out of beautiful dupioni silk fabric. Anyway, I was going to be starting my new job in a few weeks and I felt guilty spending the money on something that I couldn't wear to work. I decided not to buy it, but I have regretted it all along.

Fast forward almost a year and I get an email saying that there will be a special Jubilee sale Thursday morning. I got up bright and early so that I could check to see if this dress was available. It was listed and it was considerably less than the original price. I quickly ordered it and I can't wait to wear it.

I fell in love with the Fitch Shift when it first came out this spring, but I still felt like I should be spending my extra money on work clothes (I am an accountant after all, we tend to be very frugal). This dress fits well and is very comfortable. It even has pockets. I did not buy it, but my mom managed to find one and give it to me for my birthday! Thanks, mom!

Have you all had an Lilly that you regret not buying?

My little secret...

2009-11-07T14:36:00.005-05:00

Okay, I am going to come clean. My name is Lauren and I am a chinaholic. I do not know what it is. I have always loved china and I enjoy using mine at home. I have holiday china, two sets of formal china, and a set of casual china - and I have intentions of buying more down the road. Yes, it is a bit exessive, but I love china and use it quite often. I shared details about my patterns way back when.

Some of my dearest friends gave me the sugar & creamer and teapot in my everyday pattern when Thomas and I got married. I have all of these sitting out on the bar in my kitchen. I love seeing them every day because they remind me of my special friends. :-)

I have my Christmas china (Bernardaud Grenadiers) and one set of formal china (Imperial Scroll by Vera Wang) in my buffett. I am looking forward to using my holiday china in the next few weeks.

My newest set of china (Kate Spade Library Lane) was purchased at Replacements Limited this summer during a moment of weakness. I got a great deal on it, and it was something that always caught my eye when I am shopping. It has a gold and navy band around the edge.

I love using my crystal goblets. I have a formal set and a casual set.

Right now my husband and I are still living in our first home. We are probably going to stay here for a few more years because we don't really need the extra space. When we move, I would love to have a butler's pantry to store all of my china, serving pieces, and glassware. Maybe like one of the ones below.

Okay, now back to your regularly scheduled posts.

I hope you all have a great weekend!

Pot Roast Perfected

2009-11-07T13:50:00.002-05:00

I made a few changes to the pot roast recipe that I posted a few weeks ago. I think it added a lot more flavor without making it too complicated.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons red wine
8 medium carrots, cut into thirds
2 medium onions, each cut into 8 wedges
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 beef chuck roast (3 pounds), trimmed of excess fat

very finely minced garlic or garlic powder (to taste)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Directions

1.In slow cooker, stir together cornstarch and 2 tablespoons red wine until smooth. Add carrots and onions; season with salt, pepper, and garlic. Toss.

2.Sprinkle roast with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; place on top of vegetables, and drizzle with Worcestershire. Cover; cook on high, 6 hours (or on low, 10 hours).

3.Transfer roast to a cutting board; thinly slice against the grain. Place vegetables in a serving dish; pour pan juices through a fine-mesh sieve, if desired. Serve roast with vegetables and pan juices.

Photo courtesy of Everyday Food

Land's End

2009-10-30T19:11:00.003-04:00

I ordered a few things from Land's End and I was so pleased with them. The prices were great the quality is good. I ordered a pair of fleece pants that I lived in this week when I had the flu. Yes, my husband and I both had the flu this week. Fun times.

I have a feeling that this dress is going to be a staple in my wardrobe for quite some time. I think that it is really cute and versatile. It is actually right above the knee on a normal height woman.

Have any of you all ever worn their cashmere? I need a few basic cashmere sweaters for the winter, but I haven't found any yet.

Enjoy your weekend!

Southern Living Comfort Food

2009-10-30T18:59:00.004-04:00

I bought this cookbook back over the summer and have found myself turning to it time and time again for recipes. Nothing in this cookbook is particularly healthy or low fat. Then again, it is called comfort food. The forward is by Pat Conroy, the author of South of Broad.

This past Sunday night I made Leslie's Favorite Chicken and Wild Rice casserole. It is easy and turns out very good, but the recipe makes a ton.

Ingredients

2 (6 1/4 ounce) packages fast-cooking long grain and wild rice blend
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 medium onions, chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
2 (8 ounce) cans sliced water chestnuts, drained
5 cups chopped cooked chicken
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
2 (8 ounce) containers sour cream
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup soft breadcrumbs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare rice according to package directions; set aside.

2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add onion, celery and water chestnuts. Saute 10 minutes or until tender.

3. Stir in rice, chicken, 3 cups cheese, and next 5 ingredients; spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish or a 4-quart casserole. ( I used three 8x8 casseroles).

4. Top with breadcrumbs. Bake casserole at 350°F for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese, and bake 5 more minutes.

Note: To freeze, prepare recipe through step 3 and then freeze. Before baking, let thaw for one hour at room temperature and then bake for about 45 minutes covered and 30 minutes uncovered.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

2009-10-30T18:55:00.003-04:00

I made this pot roast this past week when I was sick and it turned out very good with very minimal effort. Next time I make it, I think I will add a clove or two of garlic and a little red wine for more flavor.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon cornstarch
8 medium carrots, cut into thirds
2 medium onions, each cut into 8 wedges
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 beef chuck roast (3 pounds), trimmed of excess fat
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Directions

1.In slow cooker, stir together cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth. Add carrots and onions; season with salt and pepper, and toss.

2.Sprinkle roast with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; place on top of vegetables, and drizzle with Worcestershire. Cover; cook on high, 6 hours (or on low, 10 hours).

3.Transfer roast to a cutting board; thinly slice against the grain. Place vegetables in a serving dish; pour pan juices through a fine-mesh sieve, if desired. Serve roast with vegetables and pan juices.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Everyday Food

Over the Top!

2009-10-27T06:00:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite bloggers passed along the Over the Top Award to me. Thank you Tres Poshe Preppy! If you haven't read her blog, check it out!!

So here are the rules: You Can Only Use One Word! Pass this along to 6 of your favorite bloggers! Alert them that you have given them this award! Have Fun!

1. Where is your cell phone? couch
2. Your hair? brown
3. Your mother? sweet
4. Your father? loving
5. Your favorite food? French
6. Your dream last night? none
7. Your favorite drink? wine
8. Your dream/goal? contentment
9. What room are you in? den
10. Your hobby? reading
11. Your fear? many!
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? mom
13. Where were you last night? entertaining
14. Something that you aren’t? quiet
15. Muffins? Blueberry
16. Wish list item? Cartier
17. Where did you grow up? Greensboro
18. Last thing you did? eat
19. What are you wearing? yoga
20. Your TV? off
21. Your pets? chihuahua
22. Friends? special
23. Your life? happy
24. Your mood? calm
25. Missing someone? family
26. Vehicle? Volvo
27. Something you’re not wearing? shoes
28. Your favorite store? Williams Sonoma
29. Your favorite color? pink
30. When was the last time you laughed? today
31. Last time you cried? summer
32. Your best friend? ??
33. One place that I go to over and over? Target
34. One person who emails me regularly? mom
35. Favorite place to eat? Del Frisco's

J Crew Clearance Stre

2009-10-24T22:24:00.003-04:00

I had another successful trip to the J Crew Clear*ance store. I would say that on average most things are about 50 - 75% less than what they cost in the retail stores. The selection varies, but most of the items that were in the store now were fall and winter items - sweaters, coats, wool separates, jeans, etc. There were also special occasion dresses and shoes.

This time I picked up a few new sweaters. Sorry for the iffy picture quality. This 100% cashmere sweater is from Fall 2009.
I bought this pair of 100% wool pants.

This is a sweater I loved from the current catalog.

I am not sure what season this sweater came from?

This coat is from holiday 2008. It is a 90/10 wool/cashmere blend.

If you all are close, it is definitely worth checking out. The address is 1 Clifford Way Arden, NC.

Enjoy your weekend!

Butternut Squash Gratin with Rosemary Breadcrumbs

2009-10-24T22:08:00.002-04:00

I made this last night for dinner and it turned out very well. It was relatively quick and easy and is a great side dish for fall and winter.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
4 cups thinly sliced onions (about 1 pound)
2 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs made from soft white bread (I used toasted French bread to make my breadcrumbs)
2 cups (packed) grated sharp white cheddar cheese (I used Cabot cheddar)
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until onions are light golden, about 8 minutes. Add squash; sauté 4 minutes. Sprinkle sugar, salt and pepper over vegetables; sauté until onions and squash begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes.

Spread vegetable mixture in prepared dish. Pour chicken broth over. Cover tightly with foil and bake 45 minutes. (Squash mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Reheat in 350°F oven until heated through, about 10 minutes.)

Increase oven temperature to 400°F. Mix breadcrumbs, cheese, rosemary and thyme in medium bowl. Sprinkle over gratin. Bake uncovered until top is golden brown and crisp, about 30 minutes.

This recipe is from Bon Appetit. I got it from the Epicurious App. If any of you all have the iPhone, it's a great App to get and it's free!

Sephora Friends and Family

2009-10-19T05:00:00.001-04:00

Sephora is having their annual friends and family sale from October 19 - November 2. Use code "FF2009." I will certainly be stocking up on a few of my favorite things. Now would also be a great time to get a Clarisonic if you have been considering it. I bought mine back in May and have really enjoyed it. My skin is in much better shape (softer, smoother, less breakouts, etc). My dermatologist even complimented me on how great my skin looked at my last visit. That was definitely a first for me. Ha ha!

Bon Appetit Panko Crusted Chicken with Maple Mustard Pan Sauce

2009-10-17T12:21:00.002-04:00

photo courtesy of BonAppetit.com

I found this recipe on BonAppetit.com via Grits. I made it the other night and it was fast and easy as described. Next time I think I will use a flavored panko instead of plain panko. I really like the texture of panko, but it needs an extra kick of flavor.

Ingredients

2 8-ounce skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise in half
1 large egg
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon coarse-grained mustard
1 tablespoon chilled unsalted butter

Preparation

Using meat mallet or rolling pin, pound chicken in resealable plastic bag to 1/3- to 1/2-inch thickness. Whisk egg, parsley, and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard in large bowl. Place chicken in egg mixture; turn to coat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Dip each chicken piece in panko; turn to coat.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook until brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, whisk broth, syrup, coarse-grained mustard, and remaining 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard in glass measuring cup.

Transfer chicken to plates. Add broth mixture to skillet; boil until reduced to 3/4 cup, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add butter; whisk until melted. Spoon sauce alongside chicken.

I love Alice!!!

2009-10-17T11:16:00.004-04:00

I have recently become acquainted with the other Newlywed, the always witty Misadventures of a Newlywed. She recently blogged about a new way to buy household supplies on Alice.com. I just went to their website and spent about an hour setting up all of the household items that I normally buy - dog food, Soft Scrub, Tide detergent, dryer sheets, etc. I set up how many items to order and how often I would like to order. The prices for everyday household items are about the same as what you would pay at your local big box store, but they deliver to your house for free so you never have to go out - it's brilliant if you ask me!! Whenever I need to reorder an item, Alice will email me and remind me. Then I will go to the website and drag the items I need into my cart to place my order.

Here is a video from the Today Show featuring one of the authors from The Daily Candy. Fast forward to 2:40 for the feature on Alice.com

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Thanks Mrs. Newlywed! I hope you all have a nice weekend!

Sweet Tea

2009-10-11T16:57:00.004-04:00

I was perusing my google reader and came across a post on Vineyard Vogue's blog. Sweet Mrs. Vineyard Vogue had a post about her honeymoon and the sweet tea they had at The Lady and Son's. While I was reading that, something dawned on me. Something that made me very sad... You all outside of the south don't have sweet tea. I really don't know how I would do it. My husband makes fun of me because I am always running to Chic-fil-A to get a large sweet tea with light ice. It's really quite the addiction... Anyway, I digress! For those of you that don't have sweet tea, here is how I make it.

Sweet Tea:

Ingredients -

2 bags of Lipton family size tea

1.5 to 2 cups of sugar (1.5 cups is the absolute minimum for sweet tea)

8 cups of boiling water

Directions -

Boil 8 cups of water and then stir in the sugar and add the tea bags. Let the tea steep for about 3-5 minutes and then remove the tea bags and let cool.

Sweet tea will keep in the refrigerator for a few days - if it makes it that long. ;)

Happy Fall!

2009-10-10T10:07:00.006-04:00

Hi everyone! I hope you all are having a Happy Fall! We have been busy with football, weddings, parties and friends. I thought that when fall came around things would calm down and we would be able to enjoy quiet evenings at home. That hasn't happened yet. Oh well!

Earlier this summer I bought some new Adirondack chairs for our back porch at World Market. I have been living in them the past few weeks because the weather is getting cooler here in Charlotte. I still haven't finished South of Broad, but I have been glued to it recently when I haven't been working.

I pre-ordered Martha Stewart's Dinner at Home and cannot wait to get it when it comes out on Tuesday! I will let you all know what I think about it.

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

2009-09-29T19:46:00.001-04:00

Today is my husband Thomas' birthday! Happy Birthday Thomas! We met almost eleven years ago and we have been married two years. It's hard to imagine what my life was like before we met. I am so blessed to have a husband who is loving and kind and supports me in whatever I do. He even puts up with my tableware and cosmetics addiction. Haha! He definitely keeps me from being too Type A and always tries to make me smile. I love him so much. :)

I hope everyone has a nice week!

American Wife

2009-09-16T06:00:00.000-04:00

I borrowed American Wife from my sister a few months ago. I just started it three weeks ago and wasn't able to put it down until I finished it. When I first heard of the book there was much speculation about how closely it resembled Laura Bush's life. I now know that the book borrows on a few major events in Laura's life and then builds the story around that. It is most certainly not a book about Laura Bush. Although it is a book I was unable to put down. It was an interesting look at a marriage. I don't want to reveal too much more (obviously there are several events that you already know), but the journey this couple goes through between their early years of dating and The White House is such a treat to read.

A Tierney Giveaway ...

2009-09-13T21:31:00.001-04:00

Enter my giveaway before Wednesday for a chance to win! Good luck!

Chicken and Dumplings

2009-09-13T18:31:00.003-04:00

I threw this recipe together tonight and it is probably one of the easiest I have made recently. It came out well though. I like my chicken and dumplings to be very thick and creamy, and this definitely is. If you like yours to be a bit thinner, add another can of chicken stock.

Ingredients:

3 cups of chicken, chopped (I used a rotisserie chicken)
1 32 ounce container of chicken stock (if you like yours thinner, use another can of chicken stock)
1 can cream of chicken soup (or cream of celery, whatever you have)
1 or 2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 hard boiled eggs, diced
1 10 ounce container of biscuits

Directions:

Combine chicken, chicken stock, cream of chicken soup, and the bouillon cubes in a large stockpot or dutch oven. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and then let simmer for about 5 - 10 minutes.

While chicken mixture is simmering, separate biscuits in half and roll out to about 1/4 inch thick pieces. Cut into strips.

Stir in the diced, hard boiled egg. Add the biscuit strips, stirring occasionally so they do not stick. After you add all of the biscuit strips, let simmer for about 10 minutes.

Serve immediately.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Twilight

2009-09-13T10:09:00.005-04:00

Am I the last person on earth who has not read Twilight? I am seriously thinking I am. The mix of people that I know who have read this book are a motley crew to say the least. Is there anyone else out there who hasn't read it?

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Favorite Fall Craft ...

2009-09-08T06:00:00.000-04:00

Okay, for those of you that know me in real life, there are two things that you already know about me. (1) I am not very crafty and (2) I am drawn to anything that is glittery and sparkly. With that said, I saw these glittered pumpkins a few years ago on Martha Stewart and was immediately drawn to them and had to make them myself. These are very easy to make even for a non-crafter like myself.

For detailed instructions, check out MarthaStewart.com. I used Martha Stewart glitter and glittering glue available at Michael's Crafts. The glittering glue has a built in brush, so it makes the project much easier.

Because I love glitter so much, I also made glittered Easter eggs. I wonder what else I could glitter? Ha ha!

I hope you all have a wonderful Labor Day Weekend!

A Tierney Giveaway!

2009-09-06T18:25:00.005-04:00

A Tierney is such a great source for fun, preppy accessories. There are so many cute new things for fall like these cute enamel bangles -
and this preppy plaid wool headband -

In honor of the start of fall, I am hosting an A Tierney giveaway! Please leave a comment below to be entered to win an umbrella! Too bad I can't enter my own giveaway ... I think these are adorable!

Good luck!

2009-08-31T16:26:00.001-04:00

Stay tuned ... I'm posting a very cute giveaway in the next few days!!

Fall Lilly ...

2009-08-30T21:31:00.005-04:00

Blog world has been buzzing with talk about the new fall Lilly line. IMHO, it lives up to the hype! I loved the fall line and was thrilled that there were so many cute things I can wear to work. I just special ordered the Burke dress and can't wait to add this to my work wardrobe. It is so comfortable and easy to wear. I will probably wear this with my gold Cole Haans and a fun necklace.

I have really enjoyed wearing the Dale Knit Top in navy blue. It works well with several other items that I already have in my closet. It is hard to tell in the picture, but it has these cute gold buttons on the sleeves. This top is so comfortable, yet dressy enough for work.

There are still sevearl other things that I have my eye on. I hope they are as cute in person as they appear on the Lilly website.

Happy Fall!

Work Shoes

2009-08-30T20:55:00.006-04:00

Since starting my job in January I have had to buy lots of new work clothes. The one wear to work item that I cannot live without are my Cole Haan Nike Air shoes. They have become my go to work shoes. I love them because I can still buy the heels that I love, but the Nike Air technology that is built into them makes the shoes so much more comfortable. They cost a bit more than I typically spend, but the quality is good and the shoes are so comfortable it is absolutely worth spending a bit more. I bought my husband a few pairs too and he loves them as well.

Check them out at ColeHaan.com.

Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon

2009-08-28T16:29:00.002-04:00

I made this recipe last Saturday night for dinner. It was just as fabulous as I anticipated and the recipe is very easy to follow. The recipe does require a bit more time to prepare, but it is well worth the effort. I served my boeuf bourguignon with roasted asparagus (arrange asparagus on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper, bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes) and garlic mashed potatoes.

Bon Appetit!

Ingredients:

1 6-ounce chunk of bacon
1 9- to 10-inch fireproof casserole 3 inches deep
1 tablespoon olive oil or cooking oil
1 slotted spoon
3 pounds lean stewing beef cut into 2-inch cubes
1 sliced carrot
1 sliced onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups of a full-bodied young red wine
2-3 cups brown beef stock or canned beef bouillon
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves mashed garlic
1/2 teaspoon thyme
a crumbled bay leaf
the blanched bacon rind
1 pound quartered fresh mushrooms sauteed in butter
parsley sprigs

Cooking Instructions:

As is the case with most famous dishes, there are more ways than one to arrive at a good boeuf bourguignon. Carefully done, and perfectly flavored, it is certainly one of the most delicious beef dishes concocted by man, and can well be the main course for a buffet dinner. Fortunately you can prepare it completely ahead, even a day in advance, and it only gains in flavor when reheated.

VEGETABLE AND WINE SUGGESTIONS

Boiled potatoes are traditionally served with this dish. Buttered noodles or steamed rice may be substituted. If you also wish a green vegetable, buttered peas would be your best choice. Serve with the beef a fairly full-bodied, young red wine, such as Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone, Bourdeaux-St. Emilion or Burgundy.

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Remove rind and cut bacon into lardons (sticks, 1/4-inch thick and 1 1/2-inches long). Simmer rind and bacon for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts of water. Drain and dry.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Saute the bacon in the oil over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon. Set casserole aside. Reheat until fat is almost smoking before you saute the beef.

Dry the beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Saute it, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the bacon.

In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the sauteing fat.

Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with the salt and pepper. Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return to oven for 4 minutes more. (This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust.) Remove casserole and turn oven down to 325 degrees.

Stir in the wine and enough stock or bouillon so that the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs and bacon rind. Bring to simmer on top of the stove. Then cover the casserole and set in lower third of preheated oven. Regulate heat so liquid simmers very slowly for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.

While the beef is cooking, prepare the mushrooms. Set them aside until needed.

When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan. Wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it. Distribute the cooked mushrooms over the meat.

Skim fat off the sauce. Simmer sauce for a minute or two, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 21/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons of stock or canned bouillon. Taste carefully for seasoning. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables.

(*) Recipe may be completed in advance to this point.

FOR IMMEDIATE SERVING

Cover the casserole and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times. Serve in its casserole, or arrange the stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles or rice, and decorated with parsley.

FOR LATER SERVING

When cold, cover and refrigerate. About 15 to 20 minutes before serving, bring to the simmer, cover and simmer very slowly for 10 minutes, occasionally basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.

Walmart?

2009-08-18T13:22:00.005-04:00

We were in the mountains last weekend and I forgot toothpaste (of all things!), so we had to make a Wally run. While we were there, Thomas and I decided to browse around for a bit. I am not going to be leaving my dear Target anytime soon, but I did find these cute magnets and thumb tacks for my cube. They were $2.88 each. My cube is all beige, so I like to add a little pink and green where I can. ;)

Enjoy your week!

Summer Reading

2009-08-17T14:20:00.005-04:00

When I was at the beach I had a lot of time to read. It was wonderful!!

I finished Mommywood in no time. It was a light, fun read just as I expected.
Return to Sullivan's Island was another wonderful book. I definitely recomend it. Reading this book makes you want to pack up and move to Sullivan's Island.

I started to read Bungalow 2 but I ended up just putting it down. The first few chapters of the book consist of Danielle Steele repeating the same things over and over. It didn't draw me in at all.

I just borrowed American Wife from my sister. She said it was a great book, so I can't wait to start reading it. It is rumored to be inspired by Laura's Bush's life.

I bought Pat Conroy's latest book, South of Broad, this weekend. I will start reading it after American Wife.

Now if I can just carve out the time to read ...

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Julie and Julia!

2009-08-17T14:12:00.004-04:00

My mom and I went to see Julie and Julia on Saturday. It was one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. Meryl Streep and Amy Adams were both wonderful in this movie. Meryl Streep really played the character of Julia Childs to the t. I can't wait to buy it when it comes out on DVD.

Immediately after the movie I went to Barnes and Noble and bought Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I am feeling ambitious and am going to try some of Julia's recipes this weekend. I will let you all know how that goes ...

Enjoy your week!

J Crew D*stribution Center ...

2009-08-03T15:41:00.006-04:00

*Updated to Add* These are two of the other items I got at the J Crew D*st Center. They had tons of these silk blouses in various colors. I like to wear it under a cardigan at the office.
This is one of the cashmere sweaters I bought. I love wearing this one because it has shorter sleeves. The other cashmere sweater I bought is an off white v neck sweater with 3/4 sleeves.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay, I have been so negligent on posting about this. I am so sorry! I am going to post the pictures that I have already taken and will update with more photos asap.

I went to the J Crew d*stribution center a few weeks ago. If you are in the area, it is certainly worth checking out. I bought two 100% cashmere sweaters, a pair of black city fit pants, a silk cami, a pair of shoes, and five headbands for about a quarter of what it would have cost me at the store.

The inside of the store looks similar to a normal J Crew - light wood floors, white walls, etc. Clothing is organized by style and color. Some styles they only had one item available and others they had several items in various sizes. It really just depended on the item. When I was there, there was a large selection of cocktail dresses, sweaters, swimsuits, and shoes.

*Edited to add* The d*stribution center is different from the outlet stores. It is a small store attached to the distribution center. There one is Lynchburg, VA and one in Asheville, NC. They sell items that are overstocks, items that are leftover from a previous season, etc.

I bought these shoes for 82% less than what they cost at the store. I have worn these twice and love them. As you can see, the name is marked out to prevent returns to the retail store.

I bought these headbands for $1.00 each. (AMS - the green, navy, and pink ones are for you. I will bring them this weekend).

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Chicken Enchiladas

2009-08-03T13:03:00.005-04:00

This recipe was published in the August 2009 issue of Southern Living Magazine. I will definitely add it to my repertoire.

Yield - 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon oil
3 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken)
2 (4-oz.) cans chopped green chilies
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
3 (10-oz.) cans enchilada sauce, divided
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Mexican four-cheese blend, divided
8 (9-inch) burrito-size flour tortillas (I used whole wheat)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425º. Saute diced onion for about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for two more minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Stir together the chicken, green chilies, cilantro, 1 1/2cups enchilada sauce, and 1 cup cheese.

2. Spoon about 1/2 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla; roll tortillas up, and place, seam sides down, in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese.

3. Bake, covered, at 425° for 20 minutes; uncover and bake 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown.

Eggs Benedict

2009-07-24T13:41:00.003-04:00

I made the perfect eggs benedict this morning using this recipe for hollandaise sauce. I just toasted english muffins, added candian bacon and poached eggs, and topped it with the hollandaise. Enjoy!

Hollandaise

Ingredients (Makes 1 cup)

3 large egg yolks
1 1/2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Coarse salt

Directions

1.In a heatproof bowl or the top of a double boiler set over a pan of simmering water, whisk egg yolks with water, whisking vigorously, until mixture thickens, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in lemon juice.

2.Slowly whisk in melted butter until thickened. Season with salt. Serve sauce immediately, or keep warm over very gently simmering water, whisking occasionally.

I have broken down ...

2009-07-23T17:58:00.002-04:00

and finally joined twitter. You can find me at twitter.com/MrsLSJ

Enjoy your week! I am at the beach until Sunday and will update when I get home.

2009-07-13T09:37:00.001-04:00

Good morning! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! We were in the Asheville area for a wedding and had a wonderful time. Now it's back to work for us for a week and then we are headed to the beach! I can't wait.

When I was in Asheville I stopped in at the J Crew distribution center. It did not dissapoint! Stay tuned for a post about all my bargains.

Have a great week!

Summertime ...

2009-07-06T20:34:00.006-04:00

I hope you all are having a wonderful summer! Mine is going by 90mph. We have three weddings to attend this summer and all the fun parties that go with them! Next weekend is our second wedding, then we have a fun trip planned to the beach, and then one more wedding in August.

The picture above is of my sister and I at our favorite deli in our hometown. They have the best NY style deli food.

I am trying to plan some fun reading for our upcoming beach trip. I already have -

Mommywood - I have already read Stori Telling and am looking forward to Tori's latest book. I am a big fan of Tori in general - her first book, her reality show, etc.

Return to Sullivan's Island - I have already read Sullivan's Island and loved it, so this was an easy choice!

Bungalow 2 - This looked like the perfect easy beach read. And I am not going to lie - the pink and green cover caught my eye! Ha ha!

Do you all have any other suggestions for a fun, light, beach read?

Enjoy your week!

My New Car!

2009-07-06T20:24:00.004-04:00

I finally got everything settled with my car and I am loving my new Volvo XC90! It's been a big change from my old car, but I love having a bigger car. I choose black with black interior. It has been fun to drive and it is easy to maneuver.

Thanks for all of your advice!

Happy 250th Anniversary Wedgwood!

2009-07-05T09:48:00.004-04:00

Wedgwood china is celebrating it's 250th year! In celebration of that milestone, Wedgwood has compiled a book showcasing table settings by Carolyne Roehm, Charlotte Moss, Thomas O'Brien, Vera Wang, Martha Stewart, and Jasper Conran.

I just ordered my book and it should be arriving sometime next week. I will let you all know what I think!

Have a great week!

Personalized Place Card Giveaway!

2009-07-01T08:53:00.003-04:00

Blush Paperie is giving away a set of 100 customized place cards to one lucky bride! Click here to view all of the designs available and select your favorite. Then go here to the Blush Paperie blog to leave a comment stating your favorite design and your wedding colors. One winner will be chosen at random on July 10.

Good luck!!

Balsamic Honey Glazed Pork Chops

2009-06-20T09:56:00.002-04:00

I got this recipe from a friend and we made these the other night. Oh my goodness they are so good!

Ingredients:

2 pork chops
olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons of honey
1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing

Directions:

Cover your frying pan with olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Cover pork chops with crushed garlic and season with salt and pepper. Add pork chops to frying pan and cook about 2 minutes on each side until browned.

Reduce heat to medium low and add the honey and balsamic vinaigrette. Coat the pork chops in the liquid and simmer for 10 minutes.

Happy Saturday!

2009-06-20T09:52:00.003-04:00

I hope you all had a wonderful week! Things have certainly calmed down a bit in my life, so for that I am very thankful! I have finished dealing with my insurance company (Nationwide) on my old car. I was very pleased with the price that they were willing to give me for my old car and am looking forward to getting my new one.

I am leaning heavily towards the Volvo XC 90. While I do like the little Lexus, the Volvo is quite a bit bigger and it has the third row seats. Plus, the safety rating on the Volvo is outstanding. That is one of the main things I am looking for in a new car. Well - that and something without 200,000 miles on it like my old one - ha ha!

Thanks so much for all of your suggestions and input. I really appreciate it! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

2009-06-13T07:44:00.001-04:00

Good morning! I hope you all have had a nice week! My week has been stressful. I had several deadlines to meet at work, my grandfather was in the hospital, and I got in a wreck and totaled my car. Any prayers would be much appreciated. :)

I'm trying to decide on a new car. Has anyone had - the Volvo suv, the small Lexus RX suv, the BMW 3 series, or the Toyota Land Cruiser? I'm trying to decide what to get...

Thanks for your thoughts! I hope you all have a great weekend!

Phytovolume Actif

2009-06-03T15:30:00.002-04:00

After hearing about this volumizer for the past several years, I finally decided to break down and buy it. I am thrilled that I did! I absolutely love it. You spray it at the roots for more volume and it definitely delivers. Normally when I use a volumizer it makes my hair feel oily, but this is lightweight. The smell is a little bit funny, but it goes away once you blowdry your hair. I bought mine here at Sephora.

Adventures of a Southern Newlywed

Happy New Year!

Blog Sale!

Don't Forget!

Preppy Monogrammed Plates @ Joss and Main

Checking in...

Menu Monday

Happy Birthday, A!

New Year's Eve Dinner

2010 - Some of my favorite recipes

New Year's Resolutions

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Menu Sunday

Happy Thursday!

Christmas Cards!

Menu... Saturday?

Menu Monday

Southern Living Magazine

True Prep Giveaway!

Best Ever Pot Roast

The Truth is in the Handbag

25 Aug 2010

Fall 2010 Clothes

Willow House - save up to 50%!

Five for Friday on Saturday

Willow House Giveaway!

Willow House Blog Party!

Happy Wednesday!

My Favorite Pimento Cheese

Menu Monday! (on Sunday)

Show us your life Friday...

Preppy Mafia Blog of the Week...

Menu Monday

Happy Memorial Day!

New Cookbooks!

Bananas Foster French Toast

Target

Lasagna

Beth Moore Winner!

Beth Moore So Long Insecurity Weekend and a Giveaway!

Target Starfish Necklace

Target Finds

Show Us Your Life - Cleaning Tips

Maple Mustard Pork Chops

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Herb Garden

Spring Fever

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry with Mushrooms

Checking in

Mac and Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Bacon

Tomato Soup

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

My Dream Christmas List

Penne a la Vodka

Slow Cooked Mushrooms

Lilly that got away... sort of!

My little secret...

Pot Roast Perfected

Land's End

Southern Living Comfort Food

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Over the Top!

J Crew Clear*ance St*re

Butternut Squash Gratin with Rosemary Breadcrumbs

Sephora Friends and Family

Bon Appetit Panko Crusted Chicken with Maple Mustard Pan Sauce

I love Alice!!!

Sweet Tea

Happy Fall!

American Wife

A Tierney Giveaway ...

Chicken and Dumplings

Twilight

Favorite Fall Craft ...

A Tierney Giveaway!

Fall Lilly ...

Work Shoes

Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon

Walmart?

J Crew Clearance Stre