Baby Shower

Here are a few photos from the baby shower I helped with recently.  I really didn't do much to help, just went over the day of the shower and helped set up for it.  I took a few pics that evening but with my camera issues I just couldn't get very many good ones.

Buffet table.  The food was so pretty and so yummy.

Love the grass.  I really want to plant some wheat grass myself.

Maybe I can talk my brother-in-law into letting me have some to take home with me!!

Vignette in my friends kitchen.  So cute, I love it.

Globe on the center of the table.  The paper chain is made from old maps.

I really like the map theme for a boy baby shower.

This baby's parents moved here from Africa!  He is the most adorable little thing I've ever seen!

It was fun to be at a baby shower again.  I have been very bad about attending them the past several years.  It was just so hard to make myself get out in the evening, especially if I had to take my 3 kiddos with me, without Daddy.  The girls are old enough now it's not really a big deal.  And a 'girl's night out' is very fun now and then :)

Food

My head still hurts.  My ears hurt.  My throat hurts.  Waaaaaa :(

And nothing tastes right.

My husband brought this yummy looking lettuce home a couple of weeks ago.

We had a really yummy meal.

Salads.  Freshly grated Parmesan cheese and almonds made them really yummy.

Spaghetti with more of that delicious cheese, green beans and bread.  mmmmmm.

I'm hungry.  I want something really really good.  But nothing tastes right and I have no ambition to cook anything.  Maybe tomorrow...

Dessert

Did you have a wonderfully, delightful dessert for Christmas??

Are you whipping up something exciting for New Years??

For Christmas I made the Chocolate Gingerbread Toffee Cake that was on the cover of 'Southern Living'.

For New Years I haven't decided yet.  Depends if I'm home enough to have time to bake.  And if I have any ingredients around to make something:)

If you've made something yummy, leave me a comment with a link to your photos of it!!  And I WILL post pics of my cake sometime in the New Year.  Right now I'm enjoying having my brother and my sister and her family here. 

{Caramels}

I have a sewing story to share with you in the near future.  I'm waiting on some final pics.  It's quite the story:)  I received some absolutely delicious caramels in the mail after agreeing to take on the sewing project.  Have I mentioned that I LOVE it when my clients go the extra mile like this?!!

Packaging was so cute!

I had no idea what I was getting.  Did not recognize the return address on the package (my client had a client of hers send these to me)

Love that happy tape:)

Caramels have always been a favorite of mine - especially homemade ones!

These are absolutely the best I've ever had.  The addition of the bit of fleur de sel salt puts them over the top!

Some other people who live here liked them too.  I had to guard them with my life to get any myself!

The maker of these delicacies is in the process of selling them online I think.  I'll post about it when I have that info.  You WILL want to order some.  They are worth every penny.  And pound - heehee!

And I promise the sewing story is coming soon.  Before Christmas I promise:)  Just waiting on the bride to get me some final pics!

Teenager Cooks

When I was a preteen/young teen I did not appreciate the term 'big' when applied to me.  So I'm assuming that 'Big Sister' may get tired of the term being used for her.  So I've decided to give her a new 'blog name'.  We'll call her 'The Teenager' from now on.  Yes, I know she is a few months shy of actually being a teen.  But she acts like a teen and who cares about a few months anyway?

Anyway.  'The Teenager' likes to cook.  When it is her idea that is. 

Recently she wanted to make these.

So she did.

I will refrain from telling you how long it took to get to this point.

They were so cute:)

She also wanted to make carrots with honey glaze.

So she did.

She made them first.  So they sat while she made the pot pie and then had to be reheated.

She's learning.

It was very pretty and yummy:)  I'm considering turning all the cooking over to her.

Then I remember that she likes to cook when she WANTS to cook. 

And most of the time sometimes with teenagers it's easier to do it yourself.

Southern Cookin'

I recently checked out a Southern Living Magazine at the library.  And decided it had some yummy sounding recipes.  This is the one I decided to try - Shrimp and Grits.  It was absolutely scrumptious.
That is if you like shrimp.  And spinach.  And grits.  Which Travis and I do.  The sisters?  Wouldn't even look at it.  They don't know what they missed.  Oh well, it wouldn't have been enough for all of us anyway.
 Want to try it yourself?  Here's the recipe!  Found here.

Ingredients

• Parmesan Grits:
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• Creamy Shrimp Sauce:
• 1 pound unpeeled, medium-size raw shrimp (4 1/50 count)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Vegetable cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups low-sodium fat-free chicken broth
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
• 2 cups firmly packed fresh baby spinach

Preparation

• 1. Prepare Parmesan Grits: Bring 1/2 tsp. salt and 4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually whisk in grits. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes or until thickened. Whisk in cheese and pepper. Keep warm.
• 2. Prepare Creamy Shrimp Sauce: Peel shrimp; devein, if desired. Sprinkle shrimp with pepper and 1/8 tsp. salt. Cook in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat 1 to 2 minutes on each side or just until shrimp turn pink. Remove from skillet. Reduce heat to medium. Add oil; heat 30 seconds. Whisk in flour; cook 30 seconds to 1 minute. Whisk in broth and next 5 ingredients; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until thickened. Stir in shrimp and spinach; cook 1 minute or until spinach is slightly wilted. Serve immediately over grits.

Food Praise

I am part of a food exchange that started a couple of months ago. This is the chicken pot pie we got. Isn't this a neat way to put vents in the crust? We all thought it was great, and it tasted great too!