Taste Test Extravaganza

This past weekend my husband and I were busy busy. We woke up Saturday and went to the Marietta Farmers Market, and let me just say it was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! We got loads of fresh produce, and my favorite purchase was a homemade red pepper jam! Yum! Serve it with a little cream cheese on wheat thins! So delicious, creamy but has a little bit of a kick! The owner of the booth said she makes the jam herself at home and bottles it and everything! She had about 12 flavors and they were to die for! My plan is to get a different flavor each time we go! Saturday evening we had a house full of people, and Sunday our friends that were moving from New Orleans to Philly decided to stay an extra night, so we got extra time to enjoy their company!

Needless to say, my husband and I had an amazing weekend entertaining friends. With the holidays right around the corner I decided it was the perfect time to break out some new recipes for my guinea pigs…I mean my friends!

I have recently become addicted (like many people) to Pinterest. I found a few recipes on there and decided to make them this weekend. I am going to order them from my most to least favorite!

1. Artichoke Dip Stuffed Bread
This was a huge hit! It is basically an artichoke dip and you use a piece of French bread. Cut in half and hollow it out. Fill the hollow with the dip and throw some extra cheese on it and bake it! YUM! It was delicious and the crowd went wild, so this one is a keeper!
Time: 40 minutes

2. S'mores Baked Delight
My favorite kind of recipe, 3 ingredients, simple, simple, and so good! You use a can of crescent rolls, lay them out and place the mini semi sweet chocolate chips and mini marshmallows on them and then roll them up and bake them by what the crescent directions are! Add a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and you have a heavenly treat!
Time: 15 - 20 minutes

3. Crispy Mozzarella Stuffed Zucchini
You need zucchinis, mozzarella pearls, panko bread crumbs, one egg, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Cut zucchini in 3/4 in slices and use a melon baller to make a little hole in the zucchini, make sure there is a bottom, don't go through the zucchini slice. put mozzarella pearl in the whole, dip in beaten egg and then dip the zucchini in the breading mixture (bread crumbs, parmesan, salt and pepper) place on baking sheet, and drizzle a little EVO over them and bake for about 15 minutes, and then broil for 3 -5 to get them nice and brown!
Very Yummy, but I felt like they need a sauce next time I will add a dollop of spicy aioli sauce to each one when I take them out of the oven.
Time: 20 minutes

4. Spicy Crab Stuffed Cucumbers
Cucumbers sliced about 1/2 inch thick and a hole made with a melon baller. Fill with the Crab mixture (crab meat, cream cheese, hot sauce, mayo, salt, pepper, green onions). Everyone else seemed to love them, but they weren't my favorite. Still a good recipe and something light with no baking.

Sorry there are no pictures! By the time I had the food ready there were vultures (I mean friends) swarming over head, waiting to taste them! I will do better next time and make sure to take some! I have a few fun projects I am working on this week, can't wait to post them with all the details and how-to's!
Time: 20 minutes

Happy Monday!!

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberry Goodness

Hi! I stumbled upon this recipe about a month ago and have made it for a few events and it has been a huge hit! I thought I'd share it with my friends! It is so easy, and so few ingredients that absolutely anyone can do it!

Check out my treats for the 4th of July!

YUM!!

You will need:

• 1 8ounce package of cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 or 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
• strawberries
• a topping ( you can use crushed graham crackers, chocolate, heath bar, coconut, nuts, Oreos, almost anything will work, that's why it is so fun! You can literally change it up every time!)

Directions:

• Core out your strawberries with a paring knife
• mix cream cheese, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar in a bowl
• once it is mixed well, use a piping bag to fill the holes in the strawberries
• put your topping on a separate plate and dip the top in it to cover the top of the strawberries
• if you need your strawberries to stand up, slice a small piece off the bottoms (that is what I did with my 4th of July strawberries, and I put the sliced bottoms into a fruit salad)
• Make them pretty and serve!

Time: 20 minutes

It is so easy, and so delicious! But I warn you if you are coming to a party at my house you better not bring them because I will have already made them! I am sure they will be a party staple in our house for a long time! Easy, fast, and cost effective!

Enjoy! :) 

A Truly Southern Experience - Plantation Wedding

This weekend my husband and I traveled down to Moultrie, GA to help celebrate one of his best friend's wedding. The event was held at Gin Creek. It was a beautiful outdoor plantation wedding facility. The wedding party took over the entire property, and took advantage of it too! There were separate cottages for the groomsmen, bridesmaids, family and friends of the bride and groom. They were adorable little cottages, with country flair.

 The mother of the bride was an event planner, and the grandmother a florist, so naturally they are DIY experts! When we arrived Friday afternoon, the mother of the bride was coring out apples to use in the centerpieces for the reception, I knew that this event would be full of wedding inspiration!

The rehearsal dinner was Friday evening, and we were blessed with an afternoon thunderstorm that cooled everything down. The rehearsal dinner was a fish fry, and it was amazing! They did all the flowers and centerpieces themselves. They also brought in a canoe filled with ice and beer! It was so cute, and the perfect way to serve alcohol at an outdoor fish fry!

Saturday morning, we woke up to rain, and lots of it! It seemed never ending! The bride’s aunt hosted a surprise bridal luncheon and the father of the groom hosted a cookout for the groomsmen. The luncheon was cute, outdoors under a tent, with centerpieces made up of blue and green hydrangeas and white roses. The bride was showered with gifts to take on their honeymoon, beach towels, kozzies, bags, sunscreen, even a few pieces of lingerie. It appeared to be a great start to her wedding day, minus the rain! I wish that I had taken picture of the luncheon, but I forgot my camera! Sorry!!

The rain finally let up around 4:30. My husband and the rest of the bridal party went and took their pictures, and then ushered all the guests down the aisle. The bride arrived in a horse drawn carriage, and walked down the aisle in the most stunning dress! They were married in a gazebo that sat above where the guests were sitting, so everyone had a good view. There was even a microphone so you could hear everything they were saying (definitely something we missed at our wedding).

The reception was indoor/outdoor. Food, cake, and tables were indoors and the bar, DJ, and dancing was outside. Below are some of my pictures of the special touches I loved. (Click to see the pictures larger)

The Canoe! Full of beer and ice and decorated with red hankerchiefs on the seats. 

Centerpieces for the rehersal dinner, the fish fry. Patron shaped vases and daiseys sitting on the same red hankerchief with candles.



No outdoor Georgia wedding is complete without fans! These were passed out to guests as they entered the ceremony. Perfect to keep you cool, and a great keepsake.



The gazebo where the bride and groom were married .



The groom's cake was amazing! My picture does not do it justice! The couple was a big fan of the "Lost" TV series. The cake showcases so many of the main elements of the show! You may have to be a lost fanatic to understand it, but luckly I am! Awesome cake!



The movie poster! So adorable!! The couple is also a big fan of the show "How I Met Your Mother". Awesome show, check it out! The movie poster was so adorable and the guests were asked to leave a message for the bride and groom!