17 Oct 2017

Lavish Hospitality 15

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We are halfway there.  Thanks so much for reading.  Can’t wait to finish out the month with yall.

Since becoming a mom, I think I’ve cooked less and less. I prefer simple meals or take out or Publix rotisserie chickens.  I’m tried throughout the day.  When my husband is home I want to do other things other than just stand in the kitchen and crank out a week’s worth of food.

I know cooking is healthier and easier on the budget for the family – but goodness, tough to get in the kitchen and do.  Especially when half of my people around the table may not even eat it.

But, part of my responsibility (in our family) is to cook and make sure we have food to eat.  My mister will cook but he is usually at work until dinner time, but he always gets up with the boys and gets them breakfast.  I’m extremely blessed – also, with a nearby Publix or Trader Joes.

So, how do I welcome my misters with food?  I thought I would be a wife and a mom who always had a homecooked meal on the table.  Usually I was that kind of wife, but I’m not that type of mom.  I mean, we eat every night.  But only a few days a week is it a fresh homecooked meal.

Here are my tips:

Little Caesars Pizza.

Publix: bagged salad mixes, chicken tenders or rotisserie from the deli.

Dollar menu items.

Bagged veggies with sweet potatoes

Instant Pot

Crock Pot

A local food delivery or pick up service (we found a local place that has freezer meals on hand you can pick up.  And a friend of mine does this as well).

Cereal.

Eggs, fruit, grits

Trader Joes freezer section.

Hope these items help you offer hospitality to your family by getting food on the table.  What are your quick go-to food helps?

Quote from Karen Ehman A Life That Says Welcome

 

13 Oct 2017

Lavish 12

by | posted in: 31days, food, lavish hospitality | 1

On a post about food, and it is my son’s birthday, and I’m not cooking anything.  Nope.  We are going out for donuts, then going to a fun lunch, picking up his Publix birthday cake, then going to a friends for small group.  I’m getting off easy.

But, sitting around a table is more than just food.  Yes, I love to cook.  One of the ways I learned to cook was from my mom being disabled and unable to much of my growing up.  So, she would tell me what to do and I would cook it. Or I learned it from watching my Granny and Papa or learning how to scale fish and cook a mean french fry at the Suwannee River with weeks away with my Papa.

But, I learned to love to cook for others when I got to know a family in college.  I got to be a part of their celebratory meals and their every day meals.  Knowing recipes that family members loved.  Knowing what would please the ones they loved.  Sitting down at a table in their home and talking for house over good food and good wine.  Or just good old sweet tea.

The meal is more than just food.  It is life for the soul of many.

Quote from The Hidden Art of Homemaking by Edith Schaeffer.

1 Nov 2016

November Goals

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November Goals

I don’t know where October went – but here we are in November.  Only 2 months left in 2016.  The year seems to fly by, and once again we are about to pick out our new calendars.  I personally like this one and this one.

Thought if I wrote down some goals at the beginning of the month, I could follow through with them better – you know like writing down a to-do list:

  1.  Cook more at home.  I want to cook 4-5 meals at home each week.  I do love to eat out, but it is more expensive.  Honestly some of it is laziness because parenting is hard.  But, I do love to cook too and it is bringing out the creativity in my boys to help me in the kitchen. (See this book for more information on this concept)
  2. Book reviews.  I’ve got a giveaway coming for all you moms of littles out there, and some books that are really teaching my heart right now, like this one and this one.
  3. Gearing up for Christmas rush with handlettering projects.  Go take a look at my instagram page and if I can do a custom order for you, let me know.
  4. Finish up the Longmire series (at least for now).  We are also starting back with West Wing.  We took a hiatus because we were so tired and didn’t want a long, involved, good, but depth show each night.  Instead, we’ve been watching Leverage together.  And anticipating the Gilmore Girls show late November.
  5. See my desk and dining room table again.  I don’t know how this will work (see #3), but I know it will bless my husband and I like doing that.  He loves clean surfaces and these two surfaces are in our main living area so we see them all the time.  I wish my desk area could look like this – or even this.
  6. Going to the Pursuit ATL Friendsgiving.  It is a fun time sitting with other creatives and talking about everything!  Also, going to Passion’s Grove – if I can find parking this time!  This is always a great night of worship.  If you are in need of some guidance, listen to this sermon.

How are you gearing up for November and what goals do you have?

 

25 Jan 2016

This Week in the Charming South Kitchen

by | posted in: food, The Charming South Kitchen | 1

Gardenia

I’ve learned this weekend that when it is cold outside – I want warmth to eat – and I’m doing a juice/smoothie fast – for the most part – and all I want is warm anything.  But, pressing on!  Until tomorrow night!

The other exciting thing for the home is coming this week for 7 days.  The boys and her son will love that.  So, I’m cooking a bit for that.  I’m taking a little trip so I like to leave my family well-stocked with what they will love while I’m gone.

Baked Ziti PW style.  I’m actually doing this in two batches so I can freeze one of them.

Emeril’s Tuna Tetrazzini – because tuna and noodles and cheese and chips – what’s not to love?

Taste of Home Blueberry Muffins – such a perfect quick thing for breakfast or a snack – good thing TJ had a huge thing of blueberries today!

Brisket – my first time making it – and will have it on top of a sweet potato and tacos!

My husband loves chewy ginger molasses cookies and I’ll be baking him these

A big breakfast of homemade biscuits, eggs (three different ways), double cream gouda grits (recipe coming soon), and bacon

And these pretty cupcakes as an awesome start to celebrate Valentine’s Day with Oma.

23 Nov 2015

This Thanksgiving Week in the Charming South Kitchen

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Pumpkins

Happy Thanksgiving Week.  Hit me up if you are still in need of recipes and you just don’t know what to cook for Thursday’s big meal.  Normal life this week and I’m thankful for that.

Chicken Ramen Salad

Thick-sliced Turkey BLT

Homemade Applesauce (so much better than store bought)

Tyler’s Pumpkin Pie

Tuna Salad

 

27 Mar 2014

Read This: White Jacket Required

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White Jacket Required

One of my favorite genres of books is biographical.  Here’s why:

1.  It makes me know I’m not alone.

2.  It helps you know other people.

3.  It spurs you on to do things bigger than yourself.

4.  It encourages you in the journey.

I’ve been reading Eat Live Run for about 6 years now.  I knew Jenna, the author, was from my neck of the woods and then moved to an area with a great job (winery work) in an area I have wanted to visit and spend more time in.  I loved her recipes and she was into running and yoga.

So, I finally saw this book at my local library and devoured it in one day.  (Disclaimer: my boys napped a lot those hours because we were all feeling sickly).

I loved it.  That’s all I can say.  And I look forward to making the recipes.  It makes me understand her blogs much more.  Her style of writing is very personal and like you are sitting with her, having a cup of coffee, or sipping a glass of wine.

Thank you Jenna for writing your adventure – and you are about to embark on a new adventure in motherhood to a little boy.

 

2 Jan 2014

2014 Goals in Cooking

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2014 New Years Cooking Goals

This is the beginning of my series of posts about my 2014 goals and what I intend to do.  These are in no particular order, but will be coming in the next few days.

Cooking is something I have to do.  We can’t afford to eat out all the time, either from a monetary standpoint or from a healthy standpoint.  So, might as well cook, right?  And what better way to explore creativity and serving my family together.

1.  Cook more creatively.  That means making up my own recipes and jotting them down in my new Tasty Smash Journal given to me as a Christmas present from a creative friend.

2.  Cook through all the recipes on Jenna’s site.  This is by far my favorite cooking blog – so this will give me something to strive for: sort of like Julie and Julia

3.  Take more photos.  I’ll be talking about this in the photography goal post, but know that you will see a lot more food photos coming! 🙂

9 Dec 2013

Hello December 9: Cooking Edition

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Wow – the holidays are upon us and there is much activity in my kitchen. I’m glad the oven and stove will be on more because that means I can stand where its warm most of the time but not crank up my heat in our home.

Here is what’s planned for this week:

plates

Chicken Noodle Soup: via Tyler Florence
Smoky Grill Rub: via Southern Living for a gift
Peppermint Divinity Bars – via Southern Living (which I’m so excited to have a subscription for)
Nutella Sea Salt Truffles – via On Sugar Mountain
Chai Truffles – via Southern Living
Chicken Spaghetti – for lunch during our marshmallow making
Salted Caramel Swirled Marshmallows – via Bake or Break
Salted Caramel Sauce – via Brown Eyed Baker
Strawberry Margherita Mini Cupcakes – via A Helicopter Mom (virgin, don’t worry)
Homemade Herbed Salt – via 5$ Dinners
Refried Beans for Taco Tuesday: via Simply Recipes and Camille Styles
Curried Hummus: via Heather’s Dish
Chocolate Pistachio Thumb Print Cookies – via How Sweet It Is for the ARWB Cookie Swap on Friday

Here we go. What are you cooking this week, for the holidays, for gifts, for your family? What recipe are you most excited about?

1 Jan 2011

2010-2011

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Happy New Year!  As I write this I’ve alreayd run a 5k (with a horrible time, but I did it), had a leisure brunch with 2 good friends, and am now watching the Gators, who seem to have forgotten how to play football, at least for the first quarter.

As I look back on 2010, I look back on it with mixed emotions:

1.  Love the friendships that God has sustained and used to nourish me…some in Louisville, some new and old ones here in the RDU area, and of course some fb and faraway love and friendship from people who don’t see me every day.

2.  I love my job that God has provided for me.  At the end of 2009, I knew this new job was coming.  I was so excited about it.  Then, however, I don’t think I knew what a HUGE job it was.  I mean, you know its going to be great and hard and a God-sized task – but its not until you have been in it for 9 months today that you reaize that you are totally inadequate for it, you are thankful for others who are a part of the journey with you, and you leave every day somewhat overwhelmed with what God has asked you to do.  He is good.  His grace sustains.

3.  The part of my life that I am most disappointed in at the end of 2010 is the lack of healthy living in 2010.  I have gained 25 lbs as of this morning, and that can’t be the case.  So…here we are back at it again.

4.  2011 will be the year of pushing it hard.  In every area: writing (job, blogs, book), exercising (1000 miles, at least 3 races, yoga, kettlebell routines, reading (1 book a week, and I read slow), relationships (which are key to live and I want to keep pouring into those, photography (I love this and I want to get better at it), and cooking (see paranthetical statement with photography).  And this is all not knowing what 2011 will hold…I’m praying some big prayers.  We’ll see how the faithful God and my Provider will answer those.

So, what I do know…God is gracious, faithful, and willing to forgive.  He is the constant and stable in my life.  He will be the same on Jan 1, 2012 as He is today.

But, I can change.  God’s power and grace gives me reason to change.  The cross is my ability to change.  The gospel must impact every area of my life.

Who will be on January 2012 when I will almost be 35?