Thirsty Thursday: Cheers to you Brother!

I was awake maybe 5 seconds before I thought about taking this shot.  No, I am not a lush, and I know that's what your thinking.  I even asked my husband if it would be creepy of me to sample this shot before posting about it, just to make sure it still taste the same.  And good husband that he is, he took a shot with me.  See, I told you, I am not a lush, I don't drink alone.

When you try this shot send up a good cheers to my big brother.  My family lost him ten years ago today.  He was a pretty heroic man in my eyes, as he'll always remain.  So we are toasting in his memory today and sharing one of his signature shots.

Mix equal parts Amaretto, Southern Comfort and Sweet and Sour over ice.  Pour it onto a shot glass and enjoy!  It really is delicious.  Very sweet, as you can imagine with two sweet alcohols and sour mix.  It taste a lot like a sweet tart so that's what we'll call it.  It's also great as a drink if you want to mix it with 7 UP. 

Cheers Genie Weenie, I'll miss you forever.  Thank you for letting me grow up with you looking out for me.  I guess now dad knows you were feeding me shots when you were supposed to be baby-sitting your teenage sister!

Moms sure are Memory Makers in the Kitchen

Some of my best and earliest memories are those that I made while watching and "helping" my mom in the kitchen as a little girl. I can remember when I was big enough to sit on the counter while my mom worked on something over the stove and getting to help her stir the pot every once in a while as long as she didn't think I was going to burn myself by dancing around up there.  As I wrap up my week long postings about favorite holiday dishes, I would be remiss if I didn't add that I have only touched on a very limited few of my favorites over the past several days. Mostly just noting the holiday foods or drinks that I feel like are fun when entertaining and easy to share. As a true southerner to the core I can tell you that the kitchen has always been the heart of my home and it's where so many of the best memories have been made, both during my childhood and even more so now that I have children of my own. Today I'd like to finish out my recipe posts (for now) with two more holiday must haves for our family. 

During the month of December I am constantly baking.  Cookies, candies, cakes, and pies and I love to do it.  It's certainly not been as easy to find the time for this hobby since my little guys came along, so my made from scratch bourbon pecan pie has been put on the back burner the past few years as I now seem to lean towards the quicker and less hands on recipes.  Making something that my toddler can help with or something that he looks forward to has made my projects that much sweeter and it warms my heart to realize that these are indeed the moments that memories are made of.  When working on my annual pralined pecans yesterday I was surprised by the fact that upon awaking from afternoon nap time my toddler recognized by scent what was happening.  "What's that smell mommy?  It's my pecans, yummy!  You baking them for meeee?"   Now I hadn't made them just for him, but he was my official taster as they came out of the oven.  How could I not hand them right over when he was sitting there on a step stool watching them bake?  I knew in that moment that I would have to share that memory with you, as well as my pralined pecan recipe. 

Praline Pecans

What you need:

• 1 egg white
• 4 teaspoons water
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound pecan halves

What you do:

• Preheat an oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Beat the egg in a bowl until frothy; whisk the water and vanilla into the egg. Stir the sugar, cinnamon, and salt into the egg mixture. Add the pecans; stir to coat completely. Spread the pecans onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Roast the pecans in the preheated oven, stirring about every 15 minutes, until the coating forms a glaze, about 1 hour.

I found this recipe several years ago on a recipe site, modified it and have been using it ever since.  I usually get rave reviews when I give out these candied pecans as presents each year.  I've tried it once with almonds but the pecans are so much softer and seem to work better with this glaze.  It will store well in any air tight container.  I have often used these chopped up on top of whipped cream when serving pecan pie and it taste great.  Enjoy!

I hope that when my boys are old and gray that they'll still think of me with love when they sneak into a candy store for praline samples. 

On Friday my husband posted his latest burger idea, which of course we tried before blogging about, and it was delicious. As soon as we sat down and took our first bites my husband grew nostalgic because the spices in his meatloaf burger reminded him of a meat pie that his mom makes around the holidays. It's called Tourtiere, pronounced tuut k, and is one his favorite dishes. Because my Yankee husband moved South so long ago and now we have two wild children at home, it has not been easy getting him back up there for Christmas, and this is a dish he misses most when celebrating the holiday away from his family. I have yet to make this dish myself. To be honest it's always been a bit foreign to me because I had never had it until his mom made it during one of our visits. It just wasn't something I grew up eating, but it's delicious and comforting and taste like a hearty helping of their family history. I'm grateful my mom in law was happy to share her recipe with you, and even happier that she typed it up to share and even paired it with a wine for you too. I love when my job gets easier!

Tourtiere
No Christmas Holiday is complete without a sampling of this traditional French Canadian meat pie. Serve it with pickled beets.
Wine suggestion: Mirassou Pinot Noir

Meat Filling:
1 lb. ground pork
 ½ lb. ground beef
¾ cup finely chopped yellow onion
 ¼ tsp. ground allspice
¼ tsp. ground cloves
 ½ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
¾ cup water
1 lb. russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Egg Wash:
 1 egg yolk
 1 tsp. water

Pie Crust: you can make this or purchase your favorite

1. Put all meat ingredients (except potatoes) into a wide, heavy pot. Break up meat and cook over high until water starts to boil. Cover and simmer on low for 1 hour. If mixture becomes dry, add a few tablespoons of water as needed. (adjust spiced to taste)
2. After filling has cooked for an hour, add potatoes. Cover and simmer over low for 30 to 35 minutes until potatoes are tender. Uncover and cook off any excess moisture.
3. Remove from heat. Mash potatoes into meat. Set aside to cool to room temperature, 20 min.
4. Place meat filling into a pie crust. Cover with another pie crust. Mix egg yolk and water and brush over top pie crust. Cut 4 slashes into top crust. Bake in lower third of oven until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve hot.
Pie will keep 4 days. It may also be frozen for up to 3 months.
*Crock pot version: Place all meat filling ingredients (except water) in crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours.

Let me know if you try these recipes and how you like them.  It's back to wrapping presents for me so I'll let you get back to it.  I am sure you have a lot of holiday memories of your own to make this week!

Foodie Friday! The Bethlehem Burger

From time to time my hubby plans to be a guest contributor on a Southern Girl's Guide.  Several weeks ago he introduced us to his Burgers Around the World concept which is something he has been working on for the past two years or so.  We have had some fantastic burgers over the years and I hope you tried his turkey burger that he shared before Thanksgiving because it was really yummy.  He's back this week for another installment of Foodie Friday and is sharing his latest creation, The Bethlehem Burger.  I would say his historical data is loose at best but it's a fun idea and it was truly melt in your mouth delicious.  I'll let him tell you more.

Guest Blogger:  A Southern Girl's Northern Guy

The challenge of the Bethlehem Burger was to create a burger with flavors that would transport you back to your childhood Christmas eve dinners but also capture cooking styles and methods that may have existed when the wise men were following the star to the manger. 

Although no one knows for sure where or when meatloaf was invented but it was mentioned in cookbooks as early as the 5^th Century and it is conceivable that it was around BC because its goal was to make a tough piece of meat more palatable, feed more people and use up other things they had lying around.  To keep true to my hamburger roots though, this meatloaf is smoked on the grill, which was also a more common cooking method then grilling back then. 

This isn’t your mother’s meatloaf, but it taste and smells like something she probably used to make.  When I took my first bite, it immediately reminded me of my moms French Meat Pie, tourtiere.  Pronounced Tuut K, it was the thing I most looked forward to during the holidays.  It turns out the recipes don’t have a whole lot in common except for clove, but boy are they both good.  I think my wife will be sharing my mom’s special tourtiere recipe over the weekend as part of her favorite holiday dishes week.

Mix the following ingredients and form a loaf on a cookie sheet, then put the sheet on the smoker, or indirect heat until inside temp is at least 165, which takes about 2.5 hours You want the smoker around 250 and we used Pecan Wood.

1 slice bread

5 crushed crackers

2 teaspoons cloves

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 chicken bullion cube

¼ cup water

1/2 small onion

1.5 lbs ground beef

1 egg

While your loaf is smoking you should mix up your sauce.  I never really measure ingredients when I make sauces, I  keep tasting it until it is just right, but here is what I can tell you.  Start with a lot of ketchup, and then add more brown sugar than you would think and finish it of with some nutmeg and a few squirts of jalapeno mustard

Top the loaf with the sauce for the last half hour of cooking, but save some of it to put on the finished burger.

Instead of a bun, use a flatbread, we tried one that was lightly toasted with olive oil and rosemary and topped the burger with feta cheese, you can use feta too unless you can find gvina bulgarit, a crumbled cheese from that area. 

Enjoy

Thirsty Thursday: Festive Libations

Not being one to turn down a toddy, I thought it would be fun to share some holiday cheer in the form of two drink recipes.  One an old favorite (but ONLY at this time of year) because it's warm, spicy and decadent, and the other a complete newbie to me.  I only had it for the first time last night, but think it would be an awesome gift for the Vodka lover in your life.

I myself am actually not a huge fan of Vodka typically.  I will certainly drink it in a Bloody Mary, but I would never have come up with this concoction, and am just so thrilled that my creative girlfriend Krissy was generous enough to break open her Mason Jar of goodness and share such a tasty treat with us girls last night.  She never gave me a name for it, at least I don't think she did.  To be fair the details are a bit hazy, so we'll just call it Cranberry Infused Vodka

What you need:

• a bag of fresh Cranberries
• a toothpick or two
• rind of two limes
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• Vodka
• a Large Mason Jar

What you do:
Clean the cranberries and use your tooth pick to poke a hole in each berry.  Fill your mason jar 2/3 full with the cranberries, add in rind of two limes, your sugar, and vodka and seal it up to let it sit for about a week.  I don't know about the shelf life of this home made Cranberry Vodka, as she only let hers sit for a week before we had to try it.  It was pretty amazing so I don't know if you need to let it sit longer but I am sure you can.  It had a very strong cranberry and lime flavor and aroma after just a week so it seems like that is a perfect amount of waiting. 

This was good enough to drink on it's own.  I actually watered mine down and enjoyed it that way as well.  The Jar (as you'll see in the picture) is a cute container for this drink and if you put a ribbon around the top and a gift tag, you have a merry mason jar of yumminess to give away, or keep for yourself, we won't tell!

This hot toddy recipe will warm you right up.  You may need a treadmill to walk on while your sipping this decadent cider, but it's worth it in moderation.  It's a combination of a Hot Buttered Rum and Spiked Apple Cider.

What you need:

• apple cider
• red hots (candy)
• brown sugar
• cloves (if' you use whole cloves,you'll need to strain it, I put mine in a tea infuser because I am too lazy to strain my drink after)
• Rum (I use dark rum but that's just a personal preference)
• room temperature butter 1 pat per drink
• cinnamon sticks as a garnish, 1 per drink

What to do:

In a large pot combine your cider, red hots, brown sugar and cloves and bring it to a boil.  You want your candy to melt into the cider but you do not need to boil it continuously.  Just get it hot and then you can lower your temperature back down to let it simmer.   When you are ready to serve your toddy; put a little rum in your cup, cover it with your cider and then add your butter to the top.  The cinnamon stick as a garnish, will continue to flavor your cider but it will also be your stir stick as the butter starts to melt so that you don't have to drink a mouth full of straight butter.  I mean really we know that once on your lips, forever on your hips, is sometimes worth the risk, but straight butter is not so tasty.

I apologize for the lack of exact measurements in this drink recipe, but I believe it should be a "to taste" kind of set up.  A few hints: a little bit of cloves will go a LONG way.  I think the Rum can be over powering, but you may be a lush someone who enjoys a little more of the hard stuff, and the more red hots in the mix the more sugary cinnamon flavor you'll have.  If I am not baking, then I have a tendency to add a little here, and a little there until it taste just right.  Hopefully this will work for you as well. 

I hope as this joyful holiday season is in full swing that you and yours are having a merryvolous time, and if you aren't, maybe you should go a little heavier on the rum.  That cranberry vodka works in shots too!

Enjoy!

My Favorite Things

Last night I shared my sister's magical deviled eggs recipe and promised to share more of our families holiday favorites throughout the week.  This is the season of giving after all, and so please, give me feedback.  Share some of your favorites and if you use any of the recipes I post and have a change that might make them better, please, leave me a comment with your suggestions!

Today I'd like to share a couple of easy, party pleasers, that you can quickly whip up a few hours before your party.  Both will also keep well in your freezer for future use, just in case you need something yummy for an impromptu gathering.  Another plus is that neither require serving utensils which make them great for cocktail parties and there is less clean up all around.  Let's start with dessert first.

I first tasted this recipe for Oreo Truffles at my friend Michelle's house when she hosted a few of our neighborhood families last year during a progressive dinner.  Maybe it was because I was pregnant at the time, but I thought they were the best things I had ever put in my mouth.  Really.  Worthy of my dad's expression that it "taste so good, it'll make your tongue slap your brains out".  Yes, folks, they are that good.  And so easy!  Minimal ingredients and no baking required.  Run out and buy some Oreo's now (as if you'd need an excuse)!

What you need:

• 1 bag of Oreo cookies (she suggested that some people like the mint variety, but I love the plain version)
• 1 block of cream cheese
• Milk chocolate bark and white chocolate bark (both of which you should find in the baking section at your local grocery store but you need "bark" vs regular chips because they will cover your truffles and create a nice hard candy shell) 

What to do:

• Crush your Oreo's in a food processor or blender and mix with softened cream cheese
• Roll this mixture into small balls about 1" in diameter and put in the freezer for one hour or until you are ready to coat them in chocolate.
• Once set by freezing; dip each ball into the melted chocolate bark by using a spoon and place back on wax paper. 
• After all of your truffles have been dipped you can melt the white chocolate bark (or any color variation) and put it in a Ziploc bag.  Cut a small hole in the corner of the chocolate bag to drizzle small lines across each truffle as decoration.

To melt the bark you can either microwave it or melt it down on the stove.  I found that melting the chocolate in the microwave was easy and used less dishes, but it's up to you.

These truffles make great gifts but you'll need to store them in the fridge because they will soften up and become a melted mess if left out too long.  I have also recently seen these done as a no bake cake pop and that will make it even easier to dip, which means, if you know me, you may be getting Oreo truffle cake pops this year.  And forget everything you read above, I of course will have slaved over them in the kitchen for hours on end just to make them for you!

Another passable appetizer recipe that also makes for a great brunch addition is Paula Deen's Sausage Balls.  I found them in her cookbook (a true treasure chest of fun comfort food) and have been making them for pretty much any holiday get together my family has since.  Even my crazy lovable brother in law (who hates all things cheese) has enjoyed a few prior to my disclosing that there is indeed a lot of cheese in the recipe for these savory biscuits.

What you need:

• 4 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
• 3 cups Bisquick baking mix
• 1   1-pound package ground sausage **I use Jimmy Dean Spicy Sausage to give it a little extra ooomph and it doesn't seem to make it too spicy.
• A sprinkle of water ONLY if you find that the mixture seems to dry and you are having trouble mixing it.  The recipe doesn't call for it, but after numerous times baking these up I have yet to go without adding a little water as needed.

What to do:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
• Spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray.
• Combine all ingredients in a large glass bowl.  Mix well with your fingers.   
• Form into 1 inch balls, squeezing the mixture so it holds together, then rolling it between the palms of your hands to form balls.  *This is when I sometimes add just a little water to moisten to dough
• Place the balls on the baking sheet.  Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. 
• To prevent sticking, move the balls with a spatula halfway through cooking.

We end up having these on Christmas morning, and often for many mornings after because once we cook them they are so easy to freeze and then pop in the microwave on defrost to serve again later.  When re-heating in the microwave, you can defrost for a few seconds and then microwave for about 30 seconds (more or less- they will microwave quickly because they aren't very big) wrapped up in a napkin and voila they are ready to go and will make a good breakfast on their own or as a side.

I hope these treats will come in handy for you if you are like me and have been rifling through your recipes looking for something to make as gifts or for a party.  Not only are they super simple they are tasty too!  Have fun cooking up something good!

Don't Just Set the Table, Set the Stage: It's all about the Trimmings

Are all your decorations up?  Are you ready for your company to come over to celebrate the season?  Having a bit of a compulsive personality I sometimes feel like I am never done.  I usually have to have my timer go off which is my guest showing up before I will stop prepping.  I can't help it.  A lot of the time I just start to run myself ragged like a puppy chasing it's tail and I am relieved when guest arrive and I have to move on to enjoying all of that planning and decorating. 


Well our timer has gone off, at least for the weekend and it's that time of the season in our household where we get to sit back and enjoy.  And it's glorious!  Sure, there are still presents to wrap and goodies to bake, but tonight, we watch the Christmas lights twinkle in our tree and sip a cup of hot buttered rum and cider.  We are of course wrestling with our boys as well, as it's the night time melt down, but let's focus on the rum I mean, quite enjoyment, for a bit.

What does this time of year mean to you?  As I shuffled through my favorite recipes folder this weekend I thought about all the things that make a holiday special for my little family.  If you were to ask my husband, he would tell you that it's my sister's deviled eggs.  In fact, he went as far as to ask her for a magic chicken for Christmas that would lay him one deviled egg per day.  She can make that happen right?  I've been calling my Sunday night post, my "Set the Table" post because I want to talk about setting the stage or the scene for when you are entertaining, but when I talk about making the house smell good or give lighting ideas, it makes me realize that it's not about entertaining as much as it is enjoying your home to the fullest, which of course includes entertaining from time to time, if only to host family dinners.  And each of these things are just the garnish to the "stage" like Christmas lights are the trimming to your tree.

This whole week will be all about the trimmings, ya'll.  It's the little extras that are important in everything we do.  The details.  The icing.  Okay, you get my point, it's the fun stuff.  The stuff that memories are made of. 

Tonight, I'll share some trimmings that are important to me.  Years ago a girlfriend of mine talked about wrapping her chandelier in greenery during the Christmas season to give it a little something extra.  I totally ripped her off.  My husband helps me wrap up my chandelier every year and each time it's different but I can remember that moment with him from previous years as we cordially discuss which way we like better, until one of us gives in and we can move on.  Another girlfriend taught me to wrap my pictures up like presents as a cheap way to add a festive pop.  Other friends have shared unbelievably delicious recipes that have now become part of our traditions, and isn't that what makes our holiday gatherings with each other so special?  I love to go to my friends homes to see how they decorated.  We are each so different and bring something unique to the table.  And true friends don't mind when you recycle their design ideas and tweak them to fit your style.  They know it's a compliment, so if you read my blog and see something that you like, please, take it, use it and make it your own.  And if you see something that I stole from you; you're welcome.  Don't you know that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery?

I've already shared one of my favorite trimming ideas, my chandelier.  A new staple and favorite is my red butterflies that I got to add to my Christmas tree this year.  They ended up in my dining room too. These are a detail that I'll love always because when I see them on my tree I'm reminded of my mom and it wouldn't be special if she weren't still some how a part of this holiday.   My husband's favorite trimming for every holiday (as mentioned above) is my sister's deviled eggs.  It's a pretty standard recipe but I am telling you, it does NOT taste the same when made by any other hands.  Try it out and see what you think.

Sister's Magic Chicken, Deviled Eggs

You'll need: 
6 eggs (for a dozen) plus a couple extra just in case some break apart
Salt, Pepper, CELERY Salt (this is key- so says the magic maker), relish, mayonnaise, and just a pinch of dry mustard and paprika to garnish

Boil your eggs about 12 minutes, rinse in lukewarm water and peel.  Cut the eggs in half and remove yolk.  Mix all of your ingredients (except the paprika) together in a mixing bowl.  Use your seasonings to taste.  The celery salt does add a nice flavor, if you like celery salt.  Spoon your yolks into each egg halve and sprinkle with paprika. 

If you'd like to make it cute, you can always spoon your yolk mix into a Ziploc bag and cut a small hole in the corner so that you can use that like a frosting sack to apply the yolks with more control.  It doesn't matter to my husband.  He doesn't really see them before he clears the platter.  Enjoy!

This week I hope to work in a few post about the garnish of it all.  I'll be sharing some favorite recipes, new and old and on Friday my hubby has another Burgers Around the World he'd like to share.  We tried it tonight and it's full of smoky, spicy goodness.  He calls it the Bethlehem burger.  I'm not sure about historical accuracy, but oh it taste so good.  So we'll pretend if we have to.

Please share what special trimmings you need to make your holiday complete. I promise I'll always think of you after I steal recycle your ideas.


Quick Tiip Tuesday: Wrap it up and Save

Are you feeling a little overwhelmed from all of your decorating during this season of joy and over indulgence? It seems like year after year at this time, as the pressure to get everything decorated and all of the presents purchased mounts, both the money in my wallet and my enthusiasm for lights and knick-knacks starts to drain away. Don't get me wrong I love the holidays, just not the feeling of buyer’s remorse when I feel like I am poor at the end of the year. Well, no more friends! Okay, it's a hard habit to break, so I will admit I did have to pick up a few odds and ends this year but it was definitely on a budget. During these tough economic times we all need to start thinking about re-using and re-purposing items we already have. Today I want to share a pretty inexpensive way to make your home merrier.

Let's get merry on a miser’s budget.

What do you need? Photo frames and wall art that you already have up on the walls or lying around unused in your attic, preferably inexpensive items that won’t get damaged by a little tape. Last years wrapping paper, bows, ribbons, bells, etc.

What are we going to do with this stuff? Wrap up those old frames in your unused wrapping paper. Slap on a bow, or a ribbon, or a few bells, pinecones; whatever strikes your fancy and stick it back up on the wall, the bookshelf or an end table. Use items that will enhance your space but still make it feel like you live there. It will add a little charm and help it to feel more festive but without having to go out and buy more decorations.

Cost? It depends on you. If you save paper and ribbons from year to year, it should cost very little, or nothing at all. You don't need to wrap the whole picture, just anything you can see. You can add double-sided foam tape to ribbons to make them stick to your new artwork and so that you can reuse them again later. If you are a bit on the compulsive side (yes, that's me) you may want to have paper and ribbons that match your current decor and you may have to buy that once and save it for next year but even then it will save you money because you can cover a lot of picture frames with a roll of paper. But (note to self!) some of the best displays are the ones that are not so matchy, matchy.

I bet if you are like me you have a few gifts to get under the tree, so what's a few more "gifts" for your walls? Happy wrapping everyone!

Don't just Set the Table, Set the Stage: Mood Lighting

A couple of Sundays ago I gave you a little taste of some entertaining advice and I hope it helped you as you visited with company over the Thanksgiving holiday! Let's face it, no one wants to sit around in a stinky house so I hope that you tried some of the tricks I passed along.

Today I want to talk more about setting the stage for your next great event in the terms of how you can create a mood just by dimming or brightening the lights around your house. In all honesty, your next great "event" could be hosted and attended solely by you and as long as it fits your needs perfectly, well, that is all that matters.

Just like scents, lighting can have a huge affect on the ambiance in your home, and the feeling that guest come away with after even a short visit. I've said this before, but working in real estate really helped me get a better understanding of how people react in different environments. Especially when I would walk Looky Lou's through finished inventory homes that I had been trying to sell for months, it became obvious what the masses didn't want. When I had houses that I would show over and over again without any offers, my bosses would come to my partners and I wondering what we had to do to get someone to fall in love with that house. Were we showing it enough? Of course! Where we talking about the amazing house and the amenity loaded neighborhood? Really? Come on. It was my job to talk about the amazing house and the glorious neighborhood that anyone who was anyone was dying to live in. Most often the reasons why I didn't get an offer on certain homes was glaringly apparent and it was great when it was something we could fix. One of the easiest fixes on existing homes was addressing the lighting situation.

A too dark kitchen kept buyers away. They wouldn't always say "oh this kitchen is too dark" but time and time again if we would add in under cabinet lights and a few more overhead fixtures in that space, the right buyers would come along. In fact under cabinet lighting was one of the most popular "options" that my buyers selected when designing their homes with me. Not only to brighten things up but also to add ambiance to the kitchen, knowing that they would be entertaining in there. Recessed lights were another hugely popular addition; and because we are in the south where summer afternoons can sometimes feel like you are vacationing in hel...oh you get the point, I also sold a lot of ceiling fan junction boxes as well. Lucky for you, all of these lighting additions can be done by you, the oh so very handy home owner.

Technically, under cabinet lights are referred to as task lighting, though using them alone can certainly help to create a more subdued environment. We love our under cabinet lights; it was a huge perk for me when we bought our home that we already had them installed this time around because I have seen the difference a little lighting can make on resale value. My husband had already installed them on our previous home, and knew that we could use the same type of light fixture as up lighting above our family room bookshelves. And bless his heart, he was willing to install bookshelves and lights all over again when we moved a few years ago, which I am grateful for everyday when at the flip of a switch my most used room feels more cozy.


If you follow this link to the Home Depot web site, they offer a step by step tutorial on how you can install under cabinet lights. They listed the job as "hard" but say that even a novice can get everything installed within a couple of days. It looks like the prices for each light can vary but start out as low as $14 or so, depending on the retailer.

Not such a handy homeowner? You can also purchase wireless LED under cabinet lighting, and most of these lights use just 3 AAA batteries and will have you in business in no time at all. The down side of the battery operated lights is that most will need to have new batteries after about 60 hours of use. But if you aren't using it all the time, the ease of installation can be appealing.

That's it! Add a little light to brighten things up when used with your overhead lights. Or, use just your under cabinet or up lighting to set the stage for a cozy, and dare I say romantic, evening in.

Quick Tip Tuesday: What not to do to your child's beloved toy while they watch!

My working title for this post has been, The Elf! The Elf! The Elf is on Fi-re!, no really the Elf is on FIRE! But it didn't mesh well with the whole quick tip title and all, so I nixed it and am now forcing you to get that song (the roof is on fire) stuck in your head the way it's been stuck in mine since Sunday. You're welcome!

This tip is simple and actually does have to do with your home (my dad's house was the test example and gee we are really sorry about that!) as you really don't want to burn down your house during this joyous holiday season.

In memoriam: Friendly the Elf November 23, 2011 - November 27, 2011

Have you seen this family tradition in a box, the Elf on the Shelf? Well we were turned on to it by a friend and have been waiting for Santa to unveil this precious memory maker to our son. Last Wednesday after our toddler had a good, non-screaming, or tantrum throwing visit with Santa he found that with all his North Pole magic Santa had broken into our car and left him an elf that he could talk to and tell all his Christmas wishes to. Of course he loved it!

Our family tradition lasted 4 nights before daddy thought it would be a great idea to hang him from a chandelier at his grandpa's house. Cute landing spot to be sure, little Friendly's arms wrapped securely around the light bulb he was sitting on. You know where this is going; funny how we didn't at the time until we were packing up to leave and kept smelling smoke. All four adults were starting to panic when we didn't see a fire in the attic, or in the crawl space but we could smell it and the room was starting to get hazy but there was no clear visual smoke coming from anywhere. Finally someone found the "source" and horrified, we watched the smiling face of Friendly the elf as his little arms melted and smoldered into that light bulb high above the dining room table.

Poor Friendly lost his magic as daddy jerked him down slamming him on the dining room table to put the open flame out and we tried to shield our two year old's eyes as he screamed, "don't touch Friendly daddy! What's wrong with Friendly! Where's he going?" Ahh, that's right folks, this family tradition turned ugly when we taught our two year old about a very sick elf that may have to go away for a while.

You too can start this tradition, the elf, not the roast, for about 30 bucks at local retailers. Save some money, don't set the first one on fire. For about $60 total and after a lot of scrambling on our drive back home from the beach, we found out that Friendly was miraculously healed and "got his magic back" according to our very excited son.

So what's your tip? Don't put anything, especially, flammable materials on a light bulb unless you are trying to "accidentally" burn down your house. It may not end well. Don't put burning hot melted materials on your in-laws dining room table. And most of all, let's not emotionally scar our children during this glorious season. Okay fine, just don't scar them any more than normal.

It's a Christmas miracle! Friendly 2.0 made it home from Grandpa's before us!

Don't just set the table, set the stage

How do you want your Thanksgiving Feast to be remembered? When we entertain I want people to walk away from our home relaxed, well fed and happy. I want them to leave with that few hours in time set as a pleasant memory that they'll think back on with a smile. So what can you do to set the stage for your Thanksgiving guest to have them come away wowed by your absolute fabulousness?

There is really so much that you can do to make sure your visit whether days or hours long is a successful one. Lighting, music, fragrances, fun outings and even details like having a guest favorite beauty bar on hand, just in case, all go into setting the stage for a memorable experience. But today, let's talk scents. Now that's not all I have in my bag of tricks when it comes to entertaining but if I were to give you all my milk for free then you'd never come back to buy this cow. Wait, that doesn't sound right. Oh well, let's get started.

Did you know that certain scents invoke memories, which in turn control your emotional response to your situation? Google it. It's one of those no brainers. For me it's the scent of roses. It doesn't matter where I am, if I smell a rose as I pass by, I immediately think of my mom and for me that brings back happy memories, memories of home. What smells remind you of holidays and home? For a lot of people, it's the smell of cinnamon. Pumpkin pie. Coffee. I swear as the weather cools down, my coffee addiction grows worse, maybe its the smell and the warmth combined, but it reminds me of a house full of company with everyone sitting around in their pjs just being lazy and watching the Thanksgiving Day parade.

Set your house up to smell good even when you aren't cooking your feast. A candle warmer is an obvious answer for setting this stage but there is more to it than that.

At our house we eat a ton of apples and pears. Apples are a sure toddler pleaser and we always have at least a core left behind after an afternoon snack. You'll probably have much more than that if you are baking an apple pie this week. Save those cores and any bits and pieces left over. Load them up with cinnamon, cloves, mint and boil them on the stove. It will make your house smell delicious! Oranges also make a great addition to this natural potpourri.

And don't forget to reuse the fruits you have laying around. Another great use for oranges and lemons when you are done with them is to cut them up and toss then in your garbage disposal with a little ice. The ice is supposed to help sharpen the blades and the lemons will help to eliminate yucky odors left over from all your cooking this week.

Before your guest arrive and while you are doing your last minute touch ups around the house, spray a little room spray in your vacuum cleaner hose or filter. It will give the place a quick burst of fragrance as you pick up dust. Right now I am using Scentsy room spray in my vacuum, and the Skinny Dippin' scent makes me feel like it's warm and sunny outside. I love it, and I love when I can accomplish two things at once, a clean floor and a yummy smelling house. Also, try a room spray in your air conditioning vent, every time the air kicks on you and your guest will be in for a pleasant surprise.

Now stop reading and get to it, I am sure you'll have company arriving anytime. Remember to keep it smelling sweet and don't forget the details. Have a merry Turkey Day ya'll!

Foodie Friday! Thanksgiving on a Bun

My hubby is the king of the grill! At least around our house. And nothing would please me more than having him as my first guest contributor on A Southern Girl's Guide. He makes a mean burger and is a creative genius when it comes to mixing up such an American classic. We are especially fond of burgers in our house as my husband and sons do them together in a series of culinary delights that my husband has deemed Burgers Around the World. For more on that see the Burgers Around the World tab up above. Todays, he's sharing Thanksgiving on a Bun. It was so delicious and fun!

Take it away my love...

The Plymouth Rock Burger with Sweet Potato Aioli

When you think of Thanksgiving dinner, most people think of a roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and a pumpkin pie for dessert. If you are a historian you think that the real first Thanksgiving more than likely had more lobsters and seafood than turkey and fixings. However, if you talk to people who were actually at the first Thanksgiving, you’ll learn they served Plymouth Rock Burgers. So if you need a creative way to use up you’re leftovers or you just have a Thanksgiving craving in June, the Plymouth Rock Burger will be sure to satisfy.

Sweet Potato Aioli
· ¼ brown sugar
· 1 cup water
· 1 egg yolk
· Juice of ½ a lemon
· 1 tbls minced garlic
· 1 cup olive oil
· 1 sweet potato
· Salt and pepper to taste

Peel and cube the sweet potato and steam until soft. Dissolve the sugar in the water over medium heat then set to cool. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a blender then mix in sugar water and sweet potatoes until smooth. The final consistency should be not too runny, but not too thick.

The Patty
· 1.3 lbs ground turkey
· 1 tbls mix of traditional Thanksgiving spices
- thyme, oregano, marjoram, basil, rosemary, sage
· ½ tbls of ground pepper
· 1 egg white
· 1 cup bread stuffing
· ½ finely diced onion
· Salt
· 1 tbls minced garlic

Mix all ingredients and store in the refrigerator for an hour. After an hour, fire up the grill on high heat, then make patties as big or small as you want. I always put a dimple on the top of the patty with by thumb so the burger isn't rounded after it cooks. Sear on high heat for 5 minutes a side and then turn the heat down to medium and cook until the inside temp is at least 165. Lightly toast the buns on the top rack to get grill marks on them.

The Rest
· Potato rolls
· Collard greens, I recommend a Southern Girl cooks those. perhaps she can share her secrets one day
· French fried onions
· Can of cranberry sauce

The Stack
bun - aioli - burger - collards - a couple thin slices of cranberry sauce - more aioli - fried onions - bun.........enjoy

Interesting Facts about Plymouth Rock

The rock has been broken in two with a combined weight of 10 tons

The longitude of Plymouth Rock = 70° 40'
The latitude of Plymouth Rock = 41° 57' 30"

It was thin pickings for traditional music of Plymouth Rock, but I think Adam Sandler's Thanksgiving Song is authentic

Quick Tip Tuesday: Sterilizing your sponge

This sounds super exciting I know, but it's a good practice to put into place especially during this icky season of colds and flu viruses. The last thing you need is to make yourself sick at home, and let's face it, it is a cheap way to help extend the life of your sponge.

The how to: Make sure your kitchen/dish sponge is wet, pop it in the microwave for two minutes and then let it cool before you try to pick it up. Various outlets, including The Journal of Environmental Health, have published research that shows that microwaving your sponge every other day is a good way to kill up to 99% of the germs you get around your kitchen.


A good bonus from microwaving your sponge is that it will help loosen up any stuck on food bits from the walls of your microwave and make it easier to clean. Not that we ever forget to cover our food and get things stuck in the microwave, right?

Who am I? What am I doing? Why am I here?

Okay, maybe "Why am I here?" is a bit too philosophical. Though I do want to tell you a little about this southern girl and what I hope to do with this blog. It seems like we all have only a few great passions in life. For me, those passions include my family, our home, and real estate in general really, entertaining, and writing.

As a child I kept a journal which turned into journals and then an education in journalism and mass communications. This turned into a desire to work in advertising. That desire led me to a mid-size ad agency in a mid-size banking town that was having a huge real estate boom. Being the daughter of an engineer who grew up walking project sites and roaming around in one of the South's most charming destination cities it came as no small surprise when I realized I loved real estate too. Though I had a true passion for advertising, I couldn't afford to live on my salary, so I jumped ship when presented the opportunity to work for one of the largest semi-custom builders in the nation.

I loved it! It was such an educational experience. In learning how quality houses are constructed but more so in how to turn those houses into homes for the people who were building them. It was so satisfying to walk the finished home with all the colors and design choices that went into making it more than just brick and stone. Alas, that real estate boom ended, thus effecting my wallet once more, and now here I am.

Why do I call this "A Southern Girls Guide to a Happy Home"? Why not just a "girls guide"? Why "a happy home"? First, I am from the South, and believe where you come from can affect how you see the world, your sense of style, and your mannerisms, so I feel like that will help to explain my point of view and the projects that I want to share with you. Realizing that a happy home may imply something to do with marriage I want to clarify that this blog is about the actual home not necessarily the people within the dwelling itself. For me having a happy home means I feel a little less chaos in my chaotic life with two boys under the age of three and can think more clearly.

What is a happy home? Again, for me, a clean one(to a reasonable degree; I do have two busy children after all) that smells good and feels inviting...even when I am not expecting guest. Warm lighting, and music playing in the background as my boys and I have our morning milk and coffee or start impromptu dance parties when the mood strikes.

What do I hope to accomplish with this blog? I want to share some of the knowledge I've gathered along the way. Tidbits like how to add warmth and charm to a home that may be a little bland, adding value to your home with small inexpensive changes when you are preparing to sell it, and just everyday "hmmm that's a good idea" type of information. I'll also be sharing recipes and entertaining ideas, small construction projects, quick tips to help you out around the home and maybe a few laughs.



I have wanted to do this for quite some time and I hope it gives you more than you had before. So please, stay with me, send me feed back and hopefully I'll share with you something that you didn't already know.