Food Blog Love (10 year blogging anniversary giveaway)

posted in: The Charming South Kitchen | 22

10 Years Food Blogging Giveaway

One of the reasons I started this here blog ten years ago this month was to share recipes with my college girls.  I loved sharing recipes so they could cook them for dinner, or to share with friends, or even now, to share with their husbands and families.

This month marks 10 years of blogging for me.  I love to blog, share recipes, connect with readers, and share life and community.  It can be done on blog world – believe me!

So, for this blog, I wanted to share some resources that I love – because often people ask me what are my go-to recipe places on the internet.  I’ve come to absolutely love these blogs and turn to them first more than other places.  I hope you come to know these bloggers, love their food, know their stories, and share their food with your loved ones.

everything important happens around a table

eatliverun  – I started reading Jenna back when I lived in Louisville like 6 years ago.  I loved her healthy(ish) recipes, her stories, her wine-tasting, California-living life, and her photos.  She also is a fit-girl!  She is a momma and though she doesn’t blog here now, she is doing fitness coaching and you can follow her on Instagram.  But, she still has her blog up.  Two of my favorites are her Thai Red Curry and her Pistachio Cupcakes (as my mister, they are so good).  And, if you haven’t read her book and love culinary life stories – you will love her White Jacket Required.  I finished it in two days (and I have toddlers!).

bloggingoverthyme  Laura and I share the same last name (well, my maiden name).  She is superb at the camera and I love her story-telling and her chronicling of her now life in Chi-town.  She is down to earth and shares delicious recipes – and she interacts with her readers and wants to encourage them in their kitchen pursuits.  I just made her Lemon Zucchini Cardamom Bundt Cake.  So good (I ended my sugar and carb fast a day early just to have some – and a BLT).

pinchofyum I’d love for my husband and I to be able to turn this blog into a well-paid blog so that he could quit his job and we could just do this.  Wishful thinking.  But, other than the monetary side of the blogging, this couple is great at giving photography tips, delicious recipes and that may be a little out of my culinary box, and again, is interactive with their readers.  I do love these chocolate chip cookies and this delicious granola

dineanddish Kristen is so friendly and personable and of course a great chef for her family and others.  She cares about her readers.  I wish I could meet all of these bloggers and sit down for coffee or bake with them in their kitchens.  That would be such a treat.  Again, her photographs are great (notice a theme of food and photography) and her recipes are delicious.  LIke these maple scones perfect for the fall that is approaching quickly and because I’m from the strawberry cap of the world, this unbelievable strawberry shortcake

And since I’ve been blogging for ten years – I will be giving one lucky reader a little prize package – filled with things that I blog about!  So, all you have to do to enter is comment here (and for every entries share on social media)!  I will pick the winner on September 1!

This Week in the Charming South Kitchen

Sebastian, Donuts, and Inflation

Let’s talk about the price of inflation.  Not really – but I know if I even mentioned that to my Papa, who turned 92 last month, that I would get to sit near him and listen to his rant on the government and it would take the same amount of time as it would for me to let bread rise!  But seriously, when did food get so expensive?

This whole living on a grocery budget is really hard when you like to cook.  We are tighter but when you have two growing toddler boys and a mister who needs three meals a day and you are trying to eat healthy – it is hard.  Fresh produce is expensive and we don’t want to live entirely off of chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, and peanut butter sandwiches.  Couponing is something I don’t have a lot of time for, don’t want to do, and most of the items we buy don’t come with coupons.

So, we will get through this month because God is good and my boys won’t starve and I’m not going to gain 5 lbs.

Spaghetti (because I already have some sauce in the freezer from when I doubled a recipe before)

The Forest Feast’s butternut squash caprese salad

Leftover fig and balsamic pork tenderloin

Chickpea and spinach curry (also leftover from last week)

I’m making PW’s French silk pie for a Sunday meal we are having with friends – but I love the way my friend Jenny talks about it over on her blog.

 

This Week in the Charming South Kitchen

Chocolate Buttercream Cake

This week I’m still cooking normal for my misters, but I’m still trying to go without breads or pastas or sweets, so we eat a little differently then we normally do.  My mister’s metabolism is such that he still needs carbs, so I make some things just for him!

Zucchini Muffins

Pioneer Woman’s Chicken Spaghetti.  This was probably the first PW recipe I remember making back in 2008 when I made it for a friend’s meal after she had her baby.  She loved it.  My boys thought it was ok.  My husband thinks he will love it.

Roasted zucchini and beets

Green Berry Smoothies and Strawberry Beet Smoothie

For Cinco de Mayo we are doing buffalo chicken tacos (but I’m making my own buffalo sauce) and guacamole.  Later in the week I’m doing some salsa verda chicken.

Individual egg quiches are always a winner with my family.

Granola bars and almond coconut butter.

How are you eating this week in your home?

This Week in the Charming South Kitchen

Homemade Strawberry Lemonade

We have a HUGE week ahead of us in the Charming South kitchen household.  Can’t wait to share it with y’all.  The biggest event is my older mister turns 2 on Friday!  TWO!  Can’t believe it.  So much has happened in two years.  Two years ago we were living in Durham and now we live in ATL with Little Rock in between us and another baby.  Wow – God has a purpose in all of this!

Here we go:

Leftovers of chili and cheeseburger mac

Beef Tips over Egg Noodles

Taco Soup from our Freezer Meal Party

Juicing (because I have been feeling so bloated the past few weeks and need to feel comfortable in the skirt I want to wear to Elijah’s party (hopefully)

Burgers, Crescent Dogs, cupcakes, a school bus cake, and side dishes for the big party on Friday.

Jiffy Corn Waffles

Tuna Noodle Salad (a box – my mister loves it)

When I have one big thing that I need to cook for : I like to try to find shortcuts for the rest of the week.  Leftovers, freezer meals, and some easy semi-homemade foods are a great fit.  That way I don’t burn myself out in the kitchen (believe me it happens) before the big event!

This Week in the Charming South Kitchen

posted in: Uncategorized | 0

French Toast

Full summer time swing here in HOTlanta.  I really hate the name of that because it implies more than just weather, but maybe I can just say the ATL.  That will work for me!

Going to try some new healthy recipes this week here in the kitchen:

Monday: pork tenderloin (just as a guideline) with some relish and herbs from my friend Jayme.  Roasted corn with lime sea salt from LaJolla and cantaloupe.

Tuesday: Rice and a variation on these Greek vegetables out of a Greek cookbook from a church in Durham, NC

Wednesday: Brinner of French toast made with some Publix Breakfast bread and some bacon and eggs.

Thursday: For tacos this week – I’m going with this – and its perfect for leftovers (and who doesn’t love Doritos)

Friday: When my parents were here we visited the Marietta Diner and I had a chicken salad melt.  It was really good.  I want to recreate this with crescent rolls.  Can’t wait to share the recipe with you!

Saturday: Vegetarian this week is these lentils.  So easy too.

Sunday: Leftovers!  Mister works this Sunday too so everything will need to be quick before work and naptimes but after church.

What are you cooking this week?

This Week in the Charming South Kitchen: May 26

posted in: Uncategorized, What's Eatin? | 0

What's Eatin?

Changing up things for the menu planning!  Just to keep you on your toes!

When we lived in Little Rock, I called my kitchen the Rainwood Kitchen because we lived on Rainwood Road and it sounded like a cool restaurant name.  But, I don’t like the sound of our street here in Marietta in line of a kitchen name.  But, I thought through this name for a little while and really like The Charming South Kitchen.  I am from the south, born and raised in central Florida, moved to North Florida, then made my way to North Carolina for over a decade, with just a few years in Louisville, then to Little Rock, now back to Georgia.  Although I love to travel and love seeing the world – I don’t know if I will ever live outside the south.  I love everything about the south: the beach, the weather, the people, the slow pace of life, the friendliness of strangers.

So, I wanted to bring that out in my food and what I cook for our family and those who eat at our table.  Therefore – the Charming South Kitchen.  I cook a lot of non-southern foods – but the south is now a melting pot – and so it my kitchen!

And this week, I’ll be writing a post about how I menu plan.  Stay tuned!

Monday: Strawberry Spinach Quinoa Salad with those fresh strawberries I picked this weekend at Southern Belle Farms.  Also to celebrate Memorial Day, I am making The Pioneer Woman’s Peanut Butter Pie and we are having watermelon.

Tuesday: This delish dip with some flat out bread I picked up on sale with some peanut chicken

Wednesday: Brinner night with potato pancakes, eggs, and sausage.

Thursday: Date night!!!!!

Friday: Slow Cooker beef for some sandwiches w pea salad (I’m still planning on sharing the recipe soon)

Saturday: Spring risotto from Big Sur Bakery cookbook

Sunday: leftovers