• Life

    Caitlyn is a Graduate!

    June 5, 2015 - By 

    Family Friday {Graduation Edition} Drew’s girlfriend, Caitlyn, graduated from AHS last week! We are so proud of her. Graduation was held at Auburn University’s Auburn Arena where they play basketball, as well as where Auburn University graduation takes place. We can’t wait to see her walk across the stage there again in 4 or 5 years. The next night, Caitlyn’s grandparents hosted a lovely outdoor graduation party for her with family and friends. The party started at 7, so there was probably about 30 minutes of daylight left. Caitlyn had candles leading to the backyard, white Christmas lights, as well…

  • Dessert - Recipes

    Southern Banana Pudding

    June 4, 2015 - By 

    One of my all time favorite desserts is my Granny’s Southern Banana Pudding. It is so easy and is yummy. I’ve thought of some variations to change it up, but every time I start to make it I find that I just have to stick with the original! Servings: 6 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 0 minutes Ingredients: 4-5 bananas, sliced 2 boxes Vanilla pudding Nilla Wafers 1 tub Cool Whip (12 oz. container) Directions: 1. In a bowl, mix together 2 boxes of pudding following box directions. 2. In a round baking dish with a lid, line the…

  • Dinner - Recipes

    One-Pot Chili Mac

    June 3, 2015 - By 

    Servings: 6 Prep Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes Ingredients: 1 lb. hamburger meat 2 tbs. of minced garlic 1 small onion, diced 1 can of tomato sauce 3 cups water 10 oz elbow macaroni sprinkle of salt and pepper 1/3 cup of Chili Powder 1 can of black, pinto, or kidney beans (rinsed/drained) Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies 2 cups of shredded cheese (Mexican blend) Directions: 1. Brown meat with chopped onion and garlic in an oven safe pan. I use Calphalon Contemporary Hard-Anodized Aluminum Nonstick Cookware, 12-inch Set When it’s cooked through drain grease, and add…

  • Travel

    Everglades Airboat Tour and Gator Show

    June 2, 2015 - By 

    We arrived at Captain Jack’s to get tickets for our airboat tour. Before going there we stopped at the convenient store for some breakfast. I saw Zinger’s and was quickly taken back to the times my Dad and I would stop at a 7-11 and I would get Zingers. Anyway, we got over to the loading place for the airboats and soon our names were called and we were off for an adventure of a life time. You can take a look at this product which is suitable to repair any works while riding in the boat. The tour started…

  • Life

    Memories of the Month {5.2015}

    June 1, 2015 - By 

    I can’t believe we are already almost half way done with this year and it’s already June! What? The end of the school year is always so busy, so it’s over in a blink. This month I was happy about: that Alex is done with elementary school! I loved the first elementary school that he and Drew went to, but then the district decided to have sister schools. This is where they have K-2 at one school and 3-5 at the sister school. This happened with Alex was going into 4th grade, so he had to attend the new school…

  • Lunch

    Pizza Monkey Bread Bites

    May 29, 2015 - By 

    Alex and I were home one night and I needed to make something quick and easy for dinner, because he was wanting to watch a movie. I thought it would be fun to get him in the kitchen and these Pizza Monkey Bread Bites were a perfect recipe to have him help with. Monkey bread is just the quintessential kid food! Servings: 24 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes Ingredients: 3 (12 oz) packages of refrigerated biscuit dough – I used homemade dough recipe found here. 3 cups Mozzarella cheese 1 cup (2 sticks) butter 1 package of…

  • Recipes

    Hash Brown Casserole

    May 28, 2015 - By 

    If you’ve ever had the hash browns at Cracker Barrel, these are very similar to those. Just absolutely yummy! Servings: 10-12 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 60 minutes Ingredients: 1 package 26 oz. frozen hash browns 2 cups shredded Colby cheese 1/4 cup minced onion 1/2 cup beef broth 1 cup milk 2 tbsp melted butter 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp ground pepper Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 2. Mince the onions. 3. In a large bowl, combine the frozen hash browns, cheese, and onions and mix well. 4. Combine the milk,…

  • Appetizers & Snacks - Recipes

    Chicken Bacon Ranch Bites

    May 27, 2015 - By 

    A while back I made Sausage muffin bites and they were so easy and delicious. I had some cooked shredded chicken and some bacon that needed to be eaten. I decided to try substituting those instead of the sausage. These Chicken Bacon Ranch Bites make for a savory muffin bite that’s great for a brunch or snack or a savory breakfast. Servings: 24 muffins Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 35 minutes Ingredients: 2 cups shredded cheese (I used Mexican Blend) 1/2 lb. bacon (browned and crumbled) 1/2 lb. chicken (browned and shredded) 1 cup Bisquick All Purpose Mix 1…

  • Travel

    Everglades City

    May 26, 2015 - By 

    We left Naples and arrived in Everglades City a little after 2 p.m. and checked into the Everglades City Motel. When we were looking for places to stay in Everglades City there was only 3 or 4 motels, none of which seemed super nice. We booked this one, because it had really good reviews and the price was right. Our room was recently renovated. The furniture was nice and water pressure was good. I loved that they have bikes you can use and the staff was really helpful. We also got a discount on our airboat tour because we stayed…

  • Beef - Dinner - Pork - Recipes

    One-Pot Pasta Bake

    May 25, 2015 - By 

    Hope y’all have had a lovely Memorial Day weekend. Even though it’s a long weekend, I’m still going to need a quick and easy dinner resolution for this week. This One-Pot Pasta Bake is an awesome recipe. Dirty up one pan and have dinner ready in about 30 minutes! I’m also going to be having a frozen dinner I made last week, which was this easy peasy Lasagna. Servings: 6-8 Prep Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes Ingredients: 8 oz. of pasta 1 lb. of hamburger meat or Italian Sausage 3 tbs. of Oregano 1 can of tomato sauce…

  • Recipes

    Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

    May 24, 2015 - By 

    Servings: 12 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour 3 tbs. Poppy Seeds 1 tbs. baking powder ½ tsp. baking soda ½ tsp. salt 10 tbs. softened butter 1 cup light brown sugar 1/2 cup sugar or honey 1 tbs. grated lemon zest 2 large eggs 1½ cups plain low-fat yogurt Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice Directions: 1. Preheat over to 400°. Spray muffin tin with non-stick spray or if you prefer you can use cupcake liners and spray those with non-stick spray too! 2. Pour in flour,…

  • Dinner - Pork - Recipes

    Red Beans And Rice With Andouille Sausage {Crockpot}

    May 23, 2015 - By 

    I was happy to find this recipe, because I’ve been craving Red Beans and Rice for awhile. While I love Zatarain’s, eating stuff out of box just isn’t healthy. You know, it’s hello, SODIUM! This recipe offered a more authentic taste, like what you get in New Orleans with much less sodium. Servings: 6 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 3-6 hours Ingredients: 1 lb. Cajun style Andouille sausages, diced 2 (15 oz.) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed 1 (14 1/2 oz.) can diced tomatoes (with onions and green peppers) 1/2 cup chopped green pepper 1 cup of uncooked…

  • Cookies - Dessert

    Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Bacon

    May 22, 2015 - By 

    The recipe for Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip, and Bacon Cookies is a total treat. Who doesn’t love bacon and when you put it in a cookie, especially peanut butter with chocolate chips? Good gracious! Servings: 24 cookies Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 10 minutes Ingredients: 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup creamy peanut butter (you can use crunchy if you prefer) 3/4 cup sugar + more for rolling cookies 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 large egg 1 tbs. milk 1 tsp.…

  • Chicken - Lunch - Recipes

    Bar-B-Que Chicken

    May 21, 2015 - By 

    The other night I had planned to make Buffalo Chicken wraps, but then I realized I was out of Buffalo sauce. I had already cooked the chicken and had already shredded it, so I was kind of left to figure out what to do with the shredded chicken. I had a bottle of Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce waving at me from the pantry and then I got super excited. I also had some buns that needed to be eaten. It was a meal of destiny that ended up being a family favorite. Servings: 8 Prep Time: 5 minutes Cooking…

  • Recipes - Sides

    Strawberry Spinach Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

    May 20, 2015 - By 

    Starting earlier in the year, I have been craving strawberries like nobody’s business! So now that it’s finally strawberry season, I’m a happy girl. I’ve also wanted to try my hand at making my own vinaigrette. This strawberry vinaigrette was the bomb! Amazing! I’m going to have a hard time buying store-bought dressing after making this. Servings: 4 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 0 minutes Ingredients: 1 bunch of spinach, chopped/remove stems 1 lb. sliced strawberries 1 container of feta 1/4 cup walnuts Dressing 2 tbs. Evoo 1/4 cup Apple cider vinegar 1 tbs. sugar or 2 tbs. honey…

  • Chicken - Dinner - Lunch - Recipes

    Pretzel Breaded Chicken Fingers

    May 19, 2015 - By 

    A couple weeks ago I posted the Cheez-It Breaded Chicken and it was so good, so now I’m on a quest to try all sorts of different breading. This Pretzel Breaded Chicken is crunchy and flavorful. My family loves pretzels and go through several bags of pretzel every month, so I was pretty sure this recipe would be a family favorite and it was! They were begging me to make it again the next day. Servings: 4 Prep Time: 25 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes Ingredients: 2 lbs. of chicken Breading Ingredients 2 cups of pretzels 1 tbs. garlic 1…

  • Life

    Crayon Crunch – A Personalized Adventure Book for Every Child

    May 18, 2015 - By 

    Doesn’t every child deserve to go on an adventure? I am excited to announce that Crayon Crunch is launching a Kickstarter campaign to be the first personalized children’s book that is inclusive to every ethnicity and special need. While most personalized books allow the reader only to customize the lead character’s name, Crayon Crunch is taking personalization to a new level.The printed picture book is filled with beautiful illustrations and allows readers to fully customize the lead character’s appearance. Including the name, facial features, eye color, hair color & style, skin tone and clothing. They even allow readers to add…

  • Bacon Wrapped Green Beans
    Recipes - Sides

    Bacon Wrapped Green Beans {Savory}

    May 15, 2015 - By 

    I’m constantly on the lookout for easy sides, because more often than not I’m guilty of throwing some canned corn or green beans in a pan and heating them up to go along side some of my favorite entrees like my Tangy Pork Tenderloin or this Chicken Cordon Bleu. So if you’re in need of an easy side that your family will love give these Bacon Wrapped Green Beans a try. Servings: 6 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes Ingredients: soy sauce garlic powder 1 lb. of fresh green beans bacon Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 375°. 2.…

  • Life

    Walking down memory lane…

    May 14, 2015 - By 

    I don’t write a ton of personal stuff on here anymore, but I’d like to. Often I have all these thoughts and just can’t get them into coherent sentences. I’ve been feeling nostalgic lately. Today is always a day I really reminisce, because today is my Granddad’s birthday. He lost his battle with congestive heart failure in May 1999, so May is really a time he’s on my mind a lot. I’ll never forget the dreaded 2 a.m. phone call from my uncle. I listened to the answering machine just praying it was a wrong number only to hear my…

  • Beef - Dinner - Recipes

    One-Pot Cowboy Chili with Cornbread

    May 14, 2015 - By 

    Lately I’ve really been thinking about one-pot meals. Who doesn’t love making dinner and just dirtying one, single pot or pan? I know I do. This One-Pot Cowboy Chili is quite simple and with a house full of guys I need lots of food. This meal is one that has them pushing back from the dinner table full and happy. What more could you ask for! Servings: 6-8 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes Ingredients: Chili: 2 lbs. ground beef 1 medium onion, diced 1 tbs. garlic 1/3 cup of Chili Powder 1 can of Black, pinto, or…