The Resurrection of the Weekend Book Review

Remember when I actually posted on this blog? You have a good memory.

Remember when we actually read on this blog called Eat, READ, Move? Then you have a very good memory.

Let's read again! Brew some coffee or tea, whatever floats your boat.  Get a warm brownie, cookie, or slice of cake, curl up on your couch or bed or window seat (I wanted one of those SO BAD when I was little!), put on some music, and read. 

And don't worry, because I have a book already picked out for you! It's called Lost Laysen by Margaret Mitchell. Now, if you're most of the world, you're thinking, "Wait-Margaret Mitchell only wrote one book-Gone with the Wind!" I thought that, too. But at the library the other day, I glimpsed a copy of this short love story Margaret wrote as a teenager. And I was like, "OH MY GOSH!! I HAVE TO READ THIS!", because I'm completely obsessed with Gone with the Wind, and it always made me sad that Margaret Mitchell had no other books. And no, Lost Laysen is not even close to being as good as Gone with the Wind, but I still enjoyed it very much.

Questions: If you were really going to read right now, what would you read? I really want to read Let Darkness Come by Angela Hunt.

What would you eat? A brownie; I baked some yesterday that were SO GOOD!

Would you like coffee, tea, or cocoa? Coffee all the way

And what music would you listen too? I don't really have a favorite song, but some bands/singers that I like are: Third Day, Switchfoot, Sarah Bareilles, David Crowder, Taylor Swift, Francesca Battistelli, and Adele. That's kind of a strange combination.

Don't judge.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mellie

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes

BOO!

Can you believe it's already time for Halloween? It feels like it should still be sometime last winter. Or early spring, at least. 

What are y'all doing for Halloween? We don't really celebrate it, except for helping out with Trunk or Treat at church. But I just HAD to get sick, so I didn't get to rock my cute 50s outfit. Too bad. :(. Maybe someone will decide to have a party at the last minute.I guess I'm a little old for trick or treating ;).

 

Speaking of treats, let's talk about these cupcakes!

Pumpkin spice frappucinos and  lattes are my absolute favorite part of fall, besides football.  And cupcakes are one of my favorite little things in life. So naturally they had to be married and have a baby. And what a yummy baby it is.  

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes

( Cake adapted from Eat, Live, Run, icing adapted from a church cookbook)

1/2 c whole wheat flour

1/2 c all purpose flour

1/2 15 oz can pumpkin

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 1/2 tbsp coffee grounds

3/4 c packed brown sugar

1/2 c oil

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp molasses

Preheat oven to 350. Mix dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients. Then add to the dry.  Spoon into lined cupcake tins and bake 25-30 min. Let cool completely before icing. 

Pumpkin Spice Frosting:

1 stick butter or margarine, or 4 oz cream cheese, or shortening, or whatever 

2-3 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 box powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

milk

Cream butter. Add sugar, vanilla, spices, and 1 tbsp milk, mixing well. Add more milk a little at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

Questions of the day:

What are you going to be for Halloween? And what's your favorite part of fall?

Happy weekend/Halloween!

Mellie

Fig Pizza

Oh hello. Who are you? Why are you looking at me like I should be guilty? Oh, that's right. You're my readers, and  I AM guilty. Of blog neglect. :(

Remember last school year/this summer when I posted 3 or 4 times a week? Yeah. Those days are over forever. Unless I became a pro food blogger when I grew up, but I don't think that will happen, because, uh, have you seen my pinboards? Yeah, I have expensive tastes. So I have to get a better-paying job, and I won't ever be able to post every day, or even every other day.

Anyway! I'm making it up to you with this divine pizza. It's pretty much the closest I've ever gotten to gourmet. I love figs so, so much. When we lived in middle Georgia we had a fig tree in our backyard. How I miss that thing. I'm not even sure you can grow figs well up here. And they're not the cheapest things. Not too expensive, but not something to eat every week, ya know? But they're soo good, especially when paired with fig balsamic vinegar, blue cheese, and other good ingredients.

Oh, by the way, you should bake your pizza on the bottom rack. It makes the crust so crispy and yummy!

Fig Pizza
1/2 batch pizza crust
1 small pkg dried figs, chopped
3 tbsp fig balsamic vinegar
1/2 onion, chopped
1-2 spoonfuls of brown sugar
canola oil (or butter)
1 5 oz carton blue cheese

Preheat oven to 425. Prebake crust for 10 minutes. Heat vinegar in a small saucepan, whisking constantly, till it reduces by about half. Saute oil, sugar, and onions together. Put everything on top of the pizza and bake 10 min. on 425.

Thank you for ignoring my deplorable nighttime photography, and have a good night!
Mellie

Greek Chicken Salad

I WANT TO GO TO GREECE.

Actually, I want to go to all the Mediterranean countries-Greece, Italy, France, North Africa. 

Really, I want to go everywhere. 

I want to be able to say I've done it. I want to be able to see the sights. I want to experience life to the fullest.

I want it all.

I also want the food. Olives...pita bread...feta cheese...basil, rosemary, and oregano...what more could you possibly want?

Oh, yeah. You might want these. Which aren't Greek in the slightest.


Well, in the meantime, you can savor the flavors of Greece with this!

Greek Chicken Salad
2 c boneless skinless grilled chicken breasts, coarsely chopped
1 small can mushrooms
1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 c mayonaisse
lots of feta cheese
1/2 c black olives
lots of basil, oregano, and rosemary

Saute tomato in cooking spray, optional.(But recommended.) Combine everything and chill before serving.

Impossibly simple, quick, but delicious!

Have a good weekend,
Mellie

Blondies

Who wants to eat a fudgy, carmely blondie, filled with chocolate chips?

*Raises hand* "MEE, please!!"

We've been making these blondies for years. They were a simple, but delicious, treat. Then the other day, I decided to try browning the butter. The result is good and carmely. Not so simple anymore!

I don't know what it is about browned butter that makes good things great, but seriously, people, you need to get on the browned butter bandwagon ASAP. No applesauce blondies for me! A little butter never hurt anyone.

Blondies

(slightly adapted from Taste of Home)

1 1/2 c brown sugar

1/2 c butter

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 c flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 c chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Melt butter in a skillet.  Blend with sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in dry ingredients. Last, beat in chips. Bake in a 9x13 in pan for 18-20 min on 350.

Have a good week!
Mellie

Seven Things on a Saturday

1. I. HATE. WINTER. And this week has FELT like winter. Most unusual for the first week of September in the south!

2. It finally feels like fall again. I don't really like fall either. I mean, it's OK. Pumpkin, cloves, apples, football, cinnamon, helping out with Trunk-or-treat at church, ginger, Pumpkin Spice Frappucinos, nutmeg, hot cocoa, oh and Thanksgiving. But I am still more of a spring/summer person.

3. Speaking of Pumpkin Spice Frappucinos, I drank one yesterday and now my lactose intolerant stomach is punishing me. But i can't give them up. It's like an abusive relationship.

4. I wore a white shirt yesterday, and I added white shoes to go to the football game. What. A. Rebel.

5. The reason i wore white shoes to the game was that my silver flats broke for the millionth time and I had to reglue them for the millionth time. #ineverlearn.

5. I want a pair of furry boots this winter. And a pair of cowboy boots, if I can find some that look feminine.

6. If you're still reading this, I love you. In a non creepy way. 

7. I woke up this morning and was greeted by this:

Pumpkin Chip Muffins

( slightly adapted from Taste of Home)

2 1/2 c self-rising flour

2 c sugar

1/2 c whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1 egg

3/4 c egg white

1 can (15 oz) solid-pack pumpkin

1/2 c unsweetened applesauce

1/4 c canola oil

1 c semisweet chocolate chips

Combine flours, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In another bowl, combine egg, egg white, pumpkin, applesauce, and oil, stir into dry ingredients till just moistened. Stir in chips. Coat muffin cups with cooking spray, fill 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 400 for 18-22 minutes. Yield: 2 doz.

Happy Weekend!

Mellie

Blissful Blogger Award!

This is just a quick post to say hi, sorry for not posting more, school's been busy. 

This post is also to say thank you to Courtney  for giving me the:

I haven't been ignoring you, Courtney! I've just been busy. Thank you so so much. 

Here are 9 things y'all don't know about me:

1. I'm a Christian. I don't talk about it much on here, because this isn't a very personal blog, but it is my life. 

2. I love to sing! I've been in school chorus since 8th grade. I'm no star, but I do love it so much. 

3. I sing alto.

4. I'm SO girly. I used to be the exact opposite. Now I despise all things related to nature (except the beach) and all forms of discomfort. I LOVVE shopping. I'm not a fashion expert, but I try. I rely heavily on my cousin (the real beauty/fashion queen of the family) and on fashion magazines.

5. I love little kids! I wish someone would let me babysit for them. There are a few people who I think might let me but I'm not sure.Plus I can't drive myself, so my parents don't want me to have a job.

6. I'm terribly shy, until I get to know people really well. I have lots to say, I'm just not always comfortable saying it.

7. I. LOVE. FOOTBALL. Whether it's high school or college, I lovvvee it!

8. I love baseball, too, especially pro baseball. GO BRAVES!

9. I used to be in band. I quit because i hated it, I hated marching, I hated my teacher, I hated being on the band bus with certain people, I wasn't very good, and I all I really wanted to do was sing. 

Noww, who to tag? It's hard to pick just 7, and plus some of the people I'd really love to tag have already been tagged. Meh.

1. The Teenage Foodie, even though apparently her blog is private now? But she was one of my forst readers and her comments (as well as her own posts) have certainly brought me bliss.

2. Jenn, another one of my early readers. In fact the very first one. Thank you so much for your encouraging comments, Jenn!

3. You know what, I lied. I'm going to tag kat, even though I think she's already been tagged, because her blog is just awesome. And so is she.

4. lynne, because she posts so many incredible recipes that make me want to lick the computer screen.
5. Chelsey, because her blog is fabulous and her recipes look amazing!

6. Erika, even though she's already been tagged, too, I think. Her blog is wonderful, and my whole family lovved these. 

7. Speaking of family, I'm going to tag my mom, because she's such a good mom and puts up with a lot. It;s probably not easy to have a daughter who's ALWAYS right. :) She also instilled my love of books, cooking, and food; this blog wouldn't exist without her!

Thank you guys so much for bringing me bliss!
Mellie

June/July Amazing Food Finds

Yes, I know July ended a long time ago, but I got distracted by other posts.

Anyway, welcome to Amazing food finds, where I share the best of the food products i find. I stole the idea from here. I love to try new foods, and you probably do to, so I want to share what I find. Maybe I'll make it a linky party, what would y'all think of that?

Also, NONE of these reviews are paid and ALL the opinions are my own.

Anyway, here's the list:

Cabot's Habenero Cheese: Hot and dang-er-ous! OK, that was dumb, but seriously, this cheese is intense. If you don't like hot stuff STEER CLEAR! If you do like it, I think it would be really good on mexican pizza. 

Tostito's Roasted Garlic and Black Bean Chips: Oh my. So. Good. These are definitely the best tortilla chips I've ever had. I love garlic. 

Kettle Honey Dijon Chips: Now, I've been a long time fan of the Kettle brand chips, but I hadn't had their Honey Dijon chips till last month. Very, very delicious. Sooo much better than a typical cheaper chip.

McDonald's Caramel Frappe: Now, I NEVER go to McDonald's. Blechhh!! I refuse to eat there, but I was convinced to try their caramel frappe...and it was really good. Not as good as Starbuck's, but still pretty close.

QOD: What good things have YOU tried this summer?

Have a good week!

Mellie

Gelato

I remember the first time i had gelato. It was my first day in Paris, and I was enthralled to be there. And to top it all off, we went to a cute little sandwich shop/gelato shop for lunch, and I had my first taste of the creamy, decadent goodness. Love at first spoonful.

OK, that didn't really happen but didn't it sound nice?

Actually, I've never left the country. I've only been to Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Florida, and Alabama. Don't judge. It's not my fault it's my parents.

So, for real, I first tried gelato at a rinkydink festival in a rinkydink North Carolina town. I'm not sure what flavor I got, but I remember it was creamy and decadent and sweet and one of the best things I had eaten in my 10 or 11 or maybe it was 12 years on earth. 

But for some reason, I never ate it again, until a couple weeks ago on my birthday.  It was just as amazing as I remembered-just as rich, just as thick and creamy. Yum. :)

Gelato 

(adapted from all recipes)

2 c milk ( I used 2%-it just depends on how rich you want it)

1 c heavy cream

4 egg yolks

1/2 c sugar

vanilla and almond extract, to taste

In a medium saucepan, mix milk and cream. Warm till foam firms around the edges, remove from heat. In large bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar till frothy. Gradually pour milk into egg yolks, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan, cook over medium heat, stir with wooden spoon till mixture gels slightly and coats back of spoon. Stir in flavorings. Pour mixture into ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions. Makes: 4 big servings.

mmm.

So.. school started yesterday. It's going to be a busy, busy year, much worse than last year. But I will post as much as possible!
Until then, have a great week!
Mellie

Orange Marmalade Cake

Sorry this post has been so long in coming. Guess what? School starts Friday. (wah wah wah) Yes Friday. Don't even ask, because I really don't know. Nothing in our town makes sense. School starts on a friday. The fair comes this week, when it is waaay to hot to be outside, especially while eating hot funnel cakes. We have 3 clothing stores and 1354 restaurants. Nothing here makes sense. Nothing. 

Well, anyway, let's talk about this cake. It's nothing short of amazing. Three layers of yummy, moist yellow cake with orange zest, soaked in a delicious orange glaze, with orange marmalade in between the layers, and a fluffy sour cream icing to top it all off. The icing balances out the intense sweetness of the cake. And I love that it has a glaze AND an icing-it's like the best of both worlds.

This cake only gets better with age, but it doesn't last that long. But maybe your family is not as obsessed with desserts as mine, so you get to enjoy it for a long time. 

Oh, one more thing. Butter and flour your pans. Don't use cooking spray. I used it, out of habit, and it wasn't pretty. It's cake, people, it's not supposed to be low cal.

Here's the recipe!

Orange Marmalade Cake

(From Jan Karon's Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader)

Cake:

1 c unsalted butter, softened

3 1/4 c cake flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 2/3 c granulated sugar

5 large eggs, at room temp

4 large egg yolks, at room temp

2/3 c canola oil

1 tbsp grated orange zest

2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly butter and flour 3 9in round cake pans. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Sift a second time into another bowl. With an electric mixer, beat butter till light in color, about 4 minutes. add the sugar in a steady stream while mixer is still running. Beat till light and fluffy, about 4 min. Add eggs and yolks, one at a time, beat well after each addition. Continue to beat on medium speed for two more minutes. With mixer on low speed, add oil and beat for 1 minute. In a small bowl, combine zest, buttermilk, and vanilla. Using a rubber spatula, fold half the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Scrape down the sides, and half the buttermilk mixture. Repeat. 

Pour batter into remaining pans. Bake 30-35 min, or till toothpick comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans on racks 20 min.

orange syrup:

1 c fresh orange juice

1/4 c sugar

stir till sugar is dissolved. While cakes are still in pans, poke holes and pour the glaze on top.

Filling:

1 12 oz jar orange marmalade

heat in small saucepan over medium heat till just melted. cool 5 min.

Icing:

1 c heavy cream, chilled

4 tbsp granulated sugar

1 c sour cream, chilled

Whip cream and sugar till stiff peaks form. Add sour cream, a little at a time, and whisk till mixture is spreadable.

To assemble: 

Invert 1 cake layer onto a plate, spread 1/3 of the marmalade on top. Repeat till all the layers are stacked. Top with orange marmalade, leaving a 1 1/4 in border around the edges. Frost sides and top border with sour cream icing. Or, frost the whole cake, and garnish with marmalade. Chill for at least 2 hrs before serving. Yield: 12-14 servings

 

QOD: What's your best birthday cake? This was DEFINITELY my best tasting one. The cutest one was...hmm...when I turned 11, I had cupcakes decorated to look like mini individual cakes. We also had mini burgers and hot dogs with small cheese slices, baby pickles, and grape tomatoes.

Have a good day!

Mellie

15!

Yesterday, I turned 15! Wow! These past couple years have been the fastest ever! Oh my.

I don't even want to tell y'all how much I ate yesterday. I was sick on Sunday and barely ate anything, so yesterday I splurged. And if you're on a diet, you may want to leave.

For breakfast, my mom made these. We added jalapenos, pepper jack cheese, mushrooms, and lots of red pepper. They were AMAZING. My dad loved them so much he ate two.

For dinner we went to Bonefish Grille. This is one of my top 5 favorite restaurants. It's not any more expensive than, say, Longhorn's, but it's a little bit nicer and infinitely better. 

We started with bang bang shrimp. This is not optional, people. You MUST eat this shrimp, which is covered in a rich creamy, hot sauce. Once you eat it and the yummy bread, which is served with olive oil and basil pesto, you really don't need anything else. But we decided to restrain ourselves on the shrimp and leave room for entrees.

My mom and I got Baja fish tacos. Tilapia with mango salsa, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, and some sort of vinaigrette dressing. Amazing. I must recreate. Mom got a salad, I was bad and got housemade potato chips. These were underbaked in some parts, but for the most part, crispy and delicious. 

Dad got a salmon salad. I didn't try any, but he seemed to like it. 

My sister got a tilapia burger with fries. Don't ask me why she ordered fries when there were so many other options, but she did. Anyway the burger was amazing and I am going to swipe the leftovers. Mwahaha.

Afterwords we were stuffed but we went home and had homemade gelato and orange marmalade cake.

Stay tuned because you don't want to miss those recipes.

Have a good day!

Mellie

Mixed Berry Delight Pie

Ahhh, summer. The beach, the sundresses, the pool, the freedom from school, the flip-flops, the ice cream, the grilled steaks/burgers, the fruit.

I love summer fruits. I love them by themselves, but I really love them in pies, cobblers, and other desserts. Fruit desserts are way better than chocolate. Don't get me wrong, I love chocolate, but fruit is lighter and fresher and tastier.

This pie contains three fruits-lemon, blueberries, and the ultimate summer berry, the raspberry. It is sweet, though not too sweet. If summer had a flavor, this would be it. 

Mixed Berry Delight 

(adapted from Granny)

For the pie:

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1/3 c lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla

1 graham cracker crust

For the topping:

2 c raspberries

2 c blueberries

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp lemon juice

Beat cream cheese until fluffy, beat in sweetened condensed milk. Add lemon juice and vanilla, mix well. Pour into crust and chill 3 hrs or till firm.

For the topping, mix and cook over medium heat till thick. Cool before pouring over pie.

Serve this pie at your next picnic, pool party, or whatever. Once your guests taste it, they will make you the official dessert person, so hopefully you can handle the responsibility. Or maybe once you taste it you won't want to share. I sure wouldn't. :)

Happy evening!

Mellie

Fruit Salsa

Guess what? It's been exactly 1 month since I last posted a recipe. Can you believe that? Summer flies by!

I've been too busy having summer romances with:

1.Agatha Christie novels.

2.Sundresses, especially ones from Kohl's.

3.Actually, I'm in love with all Kohl's dresses.

4.Eggplant, especially the eggplant rice bowl at Doc Chey's.

5.Flourless Torte.

6.And fruit salsa. 

There's really nothing not to love about fruit salsa. It's fresh and flavorful, pretty, and ridiculously simple. And just bursting with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. I feel kind of cheated that in all my years of eating and cooking and enjoying food, I'd never had it.

Uuntil I made this recipe. And it was love at first bite. And my whole family felt it too. Then my mom mom found this one. It was not quite as awesome, but it was awesome. And then I made up another one. Oh no! I forgot the measurements. But I remember what it had in it:

Mango-peach berry salsa:

Mangoes

Peaches

Bell Pepper (<--red would be prettiest)

White Onion

Fresh cilantro (<--one of my current obsessions)

Blueberries

Pita or Tortilla chips, for serving

Then finely chop everything, saute the onion in cooking spray, and mix everything together. Serve with chips.

See? A child could do it. 

I made another one, and this time I remembered the measurements:

Watermelon Salsa

5 c watermelon, coarsely chopped

1 c blueberries, coarsely chopped

1/2 white onion, finely chopped

1 bell pepper, finely chopped (I used 1/2 orange and 1/2 yellow)

A few springs fresh cilantro, chopped

1 jalapeno, finely chopped

Saute the onion in cooking spray, then combine everything. Serve with tortilla or pita chips. 

Yum.

I'm not sure what my next recipe should be. I've been cooking a lot recently! How about you pick? I like to do things my way, though, so don't expect this to become a regular feature. OK, here's the list:

1. low country boil

2. cornbread

3. a muffin or quick bread

4. a fruity dessert

5. pancakes or waffles

wow, I just realized that all those contain an unhealthy form of carbs. Oh well. 

 Good night!

  Love, 

Mellie

Everything's Better at the Beach

Hi! Hope everyone had a great 4th of July!

So, I should probably write the last Folly Beach post, since I got back like a week ago. I was just busy; we went to Asheville almost immediately afterwards, because it's a Fourth of July tradition.

 

Want.

Every night, we went to a small ice cream shop called Sugartime. This place doesn't look like much; it's really small and doesn't even have tables. But the ice cream is really, really tasty. It's fresh, flavorful, locally made ice cream from a brand called Wholly Cow. Sugartime only has a few flavors, but they change some of them up each night.

I had cookie dough the first night, vanilla the second night, and mint chocolate chip the last night. Mmmmm. The vanilla was really vanilla-y. I think the mint chocolate chip was my favorite though. I thought the cookie dough could have used more cookie dough. Mom got brownie batter the first night and peach the other nights. Both were really good, especially the peach. It was made with real South Carolina peaches. Dad had heath bar. Like the cookie dough, it needed more stuff. I don't remember what my sister got, except she got vanilla the last night. I'm sure whatever she got was good though, because she was very happy.

Folly is a great town. I really recommend it. But if you go, you have to take me with you.
 Love,
Mellie

Ciao from Chucktown

I'm officially in love with Charleston. Right now we're at Folly Beach, but I would have loved to stay in downtown Chucktown. It is the prettiest thing EVER! So many lovely old fashioned homes.

Today we ate lunch at Cosmic Dogs. My family acted like it was the best thing ever, but I thought it was just OK. The hot dogs, the milkshakes, the fries, the slaw-i think you could make just as good or better food at home. I did like the vintagey atmosphere of the place. Overall, it gets a B.

In Charleston we went on a carriage ride. Biggest. Ripoff. Ever. The old homes are beautiful, but we could have looked at them for free and not listened all the boring details. Plus, it was sooo hot. By the end I was too sweaty to go to any shops, but maybe tomorrow.

Overall, I'm pleased with Charleston and Folly. I'll blog more about it later. Bye!

Mellie

I'm Back!

I'm back from camp! I went to Bigstuf, which is an amazing Christian camp in Panama City Beach, FL. I had such an awesome week and I am NOT ready to be home again. It didn't feel like 5 days.

While I was gone, something great happened in blogland:

Courtney @ semisweet gave me this award! I feel honored. I have to answer the following questions: 

1. Favorite cartoon character: Then, probably VeggieTales characters. Now... it's the same.

 2. Favorite thing to photograph: I like taking pictures of food, because I like making the food look pretty. It tastes better that way!

3. Favorite thing to cook: I like baking better than cooking, because it uses exact measurements. I hate it when my mom tells me to add a drizzle of this or a handful of something! It's hard to pick just one thing, but I really like making yeast breads

4.Favorite way to exercise: I don't like exercise that much, but I do like Pilates.

5. Favorite Movies: I can't pick just one! The Blind Side, The Bucket List, The Princess Bride, Gone with the Wind, and The Last Song.

6. Clothing:  I really like summer dresses.

7. Flower: Pale pink roses, and hydrangeas

8. Breakfast: Hmm that's tough! I do love scones, muffins, and quick breads.

9. Book: Again, I can't pick just one! I love The Mark of the Lions series by Francine Rivers, The Russians  series by Judith Pella, The Last Song and A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks, and Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.

and then I have to add another question for the people I award it to:

 What is your least favorite food? I'm not a picky eater, but I can't stand asparagus! Never have, never will! Blech!

Now I have to pass on the award. I don't want to! This is hard! I like all the blogs I read! And some people who I would like to award have already been awarded. That's what I get for waiting so long, I guess. OK, here goes:

1. Kat @ katshealthcorner,

2. Lynne @ milk n' cookiezzz

3. Erika @ the teenage taste

4. Sami @ a teenage gourmet

Ughhhh that was hard! I feel mean.

In other news, I'm going to Folly Beach and Charleston next week. I'm excited because I love going new places! It's still inside my little 6-state bubble though. One day I will break out! but anyway, I promise to share recipes and restaurants.

Have a good weekend!
Mellie

Ed Boudreaux's Bayou BBQ

Oh how I love Asheville. I grew up in a biggish (that's a word, because...I said so) small town and now live in an even smaller town, but my heart belongs to the city. And Asheville is a great size-large enough to have the  rush and energy of a city, yet small enough to have less traffic.

I absolutely adore downtown. I love, love, love, love it. It's so funky and unique. I love those Bohemian dresses the hippie women wear. I love the art. I really love the boutiques. And of course I love the food. 

Last weekend, I visited my family in Asheville, and on Friday night we went to Ed Boudreaux Bayou Barbecue. We went back in November and I had some amazing barbecue and the best sweet potato fries I've ever eaten. These fries are the perfect doneness, and slightly sweet and salty. And they must be eaten with Alabama White BBQ sauce. This sauce is divine-mild, tangy, not really sweet. I also tried Rajun Cajun BBQ sauce and it was good but it paled in comparison. 

This time, i decided to get a portabello melt, because I'd never had portabellos before. It was delicious- it had portabellos, avocados, lots of swiss cheese, red onions, tomatoes, balsamic ailoli, and sprouts. It was absolutely amazing. I only ate half but it was really satisfying. (I managed to eat all my fries though-they are that amazing!) They also have other vegetarian options like black bean burgers, avocado melts, and a couple of sandwiches with tempeh.

Afterwords we went to the drum circle. That's just what it sounds like- a place where all the hippies dance and play drums. People come from all over to participate. They look really ridiculous and a little creepy-but it's really cool.

I love Asheville. But I guess you probably figured that out. 

Have a good night,

Mellie

Southern Charm

The other day, I wanted to bake, but I didn't go to the internet, or to our endless supply of old Taste of Homes.   Instead, I went an even better direction, one I don't go nearly enough.

 This is my grandmother's recipe box. All the recipes are written in her lovely old-fashioned handwriting, and all of them are 100 times better than anything modern. Last week, I made her pound cake. This is the best pound cake I've ever eaten, hands down.

There's something nice and old-fashioned about pound cake, isn't there? It seems like something Scarlett O'Hara would nibble on, sitting under a magnolia tree, surrounded by young men.

(Don't be hatin' on Gone with the Wind just because it's 75 years old and over 700 pages long. It's my favorite book, and I don't care how old it is.)

I had high hopes for this cake. It's only the 3rd scratch cake I've ever baked all by myself. And it fell. I cried when I opened the oven and saw.  And I'm not ashamed.

Here are some reasons it could have fallen:1. i didn't use a really good pan, 2. I had to chill the batter before baking, and 3. I forgot to flour the pan.

Here's the recipe. It is the richest, most delicious cake you'll EVER eat!!

Pound Cake

3/4 lb butter, at room temp.

6 eggs, at room temp.

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese

3 c sifted flour

3 c sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Cream butter and cream cheese. Add sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and flour. Bake in a greased, floured bundt pan at 325 for 1-1 1/2 hrs. Makes: one large cake.

oh my my my. :)

Have a good night,

Mellie

Banana Bread #2

Banana bread is so cliche, but how could you get tired of its moist, not-too-sweet, amazing goodness?

 There are soo many variations- blueberries, chocolate chips, nuts, and coconut are just a few things people add to make a delicious bread even better.

It's so easy to make! It was one of the first things I ever baked by myself. Of course, I messed up a few times-once I used all purpose flour, and another time I left out the bananas. Don't judge.

I know I already have a banana bread recipe on this blog, but I decided to share this yummy version I made last week. It is the best recipe I've ever had, period. The hint of lemon sets it apart from other banana breads, without being overpowering.

Don't be bored by banana bread! Make this!

Banana bread

from Jan Karon's Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader

3/4 c sugar

1/3 c butter, at room temperature

2 eggs, at room temperature

1/4 c sour cream

2 tsp lemon juice

3 large ripe bananas, mashed

2 tbsp grated lemon zest

2 c self rising flour

1 c walnuts, opt

Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy, about 8 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beat well after each addition. Add sour cream, lemon juice, zest, and bananas and beat well.  Stir in flour until just blended. Add walnuts, if desired, and mix till just incorporated. 

Pour into a greased 9x13 in loaf pan, bake at 350 for 55 min.

Trust me, you want to make this. You really do!

Have a good night!

Mellie

Mexican Pizza

Too many recipes!!

I'm not kidding. Even if I cooked five new recipes every day for the rest of my life, I would never get to try every good thing that I saw. If I posted five times a day every day, I would never get to share every recipe that you should make. There are too many!

That's why I'm posting today, even though I posted yesterday. It's time for me to grow up and get a life. I can't help it. I don't like it. But it's just how it is.

Anyway, aren't you glad that I don't have more of a life? If I had more of a life, I wouldn't have time to share this Mexican pizza recipe with you. I made it up by myself! I feel accomplished. Not to brag, though. I don't have much culinary imagination. I'm not going to wow you with an out-of-this-world creative, gourmet recipe. It's simple, but it's delicious!

I made my pizza extremely spicy. You may want to go easy on the spices, or use mild salsa. But that would be boring. 

Here's the recipe!

1/2 batch ERM pizza crust  <--(I use half whole wheat flour now)

several sprigs fresh cilantro

several sprigs fresh oregano

cumin

chili powder

cayenne pepper

medium salsa

1/2 can black beans, drained

1 (4 oz) can green chiles, drained

freshly grated pepper jack cheese

mozzarella cheese

Mix some of the fresh herbs in with the dough. Roll out on a greased baking sheet to desired thickness. Bake at 425 for 10 min. Add salsa and other toppings. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly. Makes: one thin pizza

Who wants Dominoes or frozen pizza when you can have homemade pizza in less than an hour? 

 

Questions of the day: what are your favorite pizza toppings?

Have a good night!

Mellie