Showing posts with label advertising space. Show all posts
Showing posts with label advertising space. Show all posts

Friday, September 18, 2009

Tennessee Hospitality




















On my down to Texas I stopped in Virginia to pick up my childhood friend, Lisa. Before we headed to our reunion, we popped in on a fellow blog, Chris @ Nibble Me This in Knoxville.

Chris and his wife Alexis opened up their house to us with some real down home hospitality. Even Lisa felt like family when we sat down to the fabulous meal they made for us. Yes, Chris can smoked some kick butt ribs on that green egg of his!





















Did I mention the 'Smack & Cheese' (my given name) they served us? Oh my gosh... we held him at gun point for that recipe! (over to the right, and I am making that tonight for my friends) Alexis and I share a love affair with heavy cream, and that makes everything so much creamier and less fattening (yeah right).



















He made two flavors of ribs... A cherry dry rub, and a spicy dry rub... Oh and I forgot, Chris could you share the name of that cherry rub mixture for everyone on here, and so I can look for it while on the way back through.

I would have taken yours, but that freakin big container would not fit in mine or Lisa's purse!

Chris sent us off with some of his son's smoked bologna... We ate those in some sandwiches on the way down to the reunion.



















We had a great time with Chris, Alexis and their son, and I hope I can repay their hospitality back soon! Are you and Alexis up to goat on the fire pit in Lisa's back pasture?

PS- Chris reminded me I made bread at Lisa's, and we took a loaf to his house...I am partial to my own cooking, so without bragging too much- it was good (was, since none was left after only a day of camping)!

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Easy As Pie




















Many people had asked me about this pie they saw on my post a few weeks back, so I am sharing the recipe. This pie was actually made for my hubby's birthday breakfast celebration. I had made ice cream for the night before, but in our house you birthday can last up to a month!

Myself being a self declared sweet'aholic to the core I will admit however that I am somewhat of a picky sweet eater. I could however live on chocolate...

The look on peoples faces when I tell them "No thank you" after they offer me a piece of cherry, blueberry, peach, and often apple pie fresh from the oven; it breaks my heart to tell them I just never liked warm fruit desserts, mainly pie with all that gushy fruit. Refrigerated can be another story if I am jonsin', but still "No" to certain flavors. Imagine I married a fruit pie loving man! I just prefer fresh fruit, or mostly crust and crumbles. I have been know to pick off the crust and leave the interior. I know I can just imagine your expressions right now, so I usually decline before embarrassing myself in that way.

As a young girl my grandmother often made cherry pies that were devoured in minutes right after dinner was eaten, but not by me. I wanted the cake she had made. To this day I prefer cake over most pie. I will pick out the nuts in pecan pie, because I do not like all that gooey syrup, and even developed a mostly pecan praline pie for me and my son (yes, he is the same) for the holidays when the kids were younger. I did bake more back then, and have been revisiting today in my spare time.



















Call me crazy, but when I heard we were going to have pie brought in by someone else; which turned out to be this version of a cold fruit pie...well I was disappointed. This meant I had made nothing I might like, so there would be no sweets for me that night.

Once I saw them cut into the cream cheese pie and with lots of nudging I quietly had a bite from someones plate. I was sold, and now I can say I at least now, love 'one' fruit pie that exists.

Okay, the truth is I moved the peaches out of the way, and ate everything else. If I had my way it would have been covered in chocolate and nuts, and it would have been gone in minutes!

This recipe is great for birthdays, pop-in guests, or just for your own indulgence you have to try making this easy no bake pie!

With all the fresh fruit available to us during these next few summer months...this pie will make any room full of sweet lovers happy all around!



















NO BAKE CREAM CHEESE FRUIT PIE


1 c. heavy whipping cream
1 c. cream cheese
1 c. powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese and cream in separate bowls until smooth and creamy; about 3 minutes; fold whipped cream into cream cheese and sugar mixture. Spread into a baked pie crust. Refrigerate for two hours before placing fresh, frozen, or canned fruit on top. I also had been told to use apple jelly, warm it and brush it on for an extra added glaze for the peaches. The blueberries are not needed.

Refrigeration is a must. Over ripe fruit will not hold up, so only use larger slices of fruit that is on the cusp of ripeness. Going no higher than two layers of peaches (filling is delicate), you fill in the center totally with blueberries, or raspberries if you like!

If I do not get your response posted until Sunday night, well its because I am meeting Rachel @ Rachels Ramblings blog in NYC for a tour, and dinner at one of the hot spots, and staying over at hubby's sister in Manhattan...we will be filling you in on our adventure at a later date!

Monday, July 20, 2009

Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies
























I cannot help it. Once I started pitting that bucket of fresh cherries that I used for the Gazpacho, and some other things coming up, I had to use them up. Sure we ate one every five that I pitted, but hubby had gone nuts buying as much as he did. He does not cook, so how would he know that I had to come up with so many creative ideas for using them.























On a trip to the market I had seen cookies on a display. Old fashion oatmeal cookies with raisins. You know when you buy things like that, well you are taking a risk getting something fresh, and I like mine soft and chewy, not hard and crunchy. Oh, I am sure some of you out there like your cookies crunchy, so just take this recipe and bake them a little longer...and do not forget I changed raisins to cherries. Pulsate them in the lil'chopper, and add some nuts if you like. My first batch was forgotten, because we were watching a movie. They were eaten even with the extra browned edges. The rest of them were perfectly chewy and yummy. Just the way I like them!


















Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookie Sandwiches

1 1/4 cups Butter
3/4 cup Brown sugar
1/2 cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 1/2 cups All purpose flour
1 teaspoon Baking soda
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
3 cups Oats quick or old-fashioned
1 cup chopped cherries
1 container dark chocolate baking nibs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Beat margarine and sugars until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add combined flour, baking soda, salt and spices; mix well. Stir in oats and cherries.

I took the dough and rolled it up in wax paper and let it slightly freeze; then slice 1/4 inch thick pieces.

Bake 8-9 minutes for chewy cookies.

Remove from cookie sheet, and quickly add a piece of dark chocolate nib on flat side, and place another on top; let cool. Remove to wire rack.

Store tightly covered, if they last that long!