New Recipe!!!

Hey everyone, I've posted a new recipe on my 'Year in the Life' blog.  I have six months left where I'll be blogging on it everyday.  So, if you haven't been over there to check it out, I hope you'll take the time to scoot on over.  :)

The great thing about this recipe is that it can be served as an appetizer, as a salad topper, or as part of a larger meal.  Very summery, very light, very yummy! 

I hope you are all having a wonderful summer!

Blessed beyond measure!
~ashley

An Oldie but a Goodie

My first cook book that I ever owned is Magic by the Junior League of Birmingham.  My mom gave it to me my sophomore year in college for Christmas when I had an apartment with three of my good friends.  (so you don't have to do the math, I turned 40 this past Dec. 26th)  It's precious to me because it was a gift from her.  It is a classic cook book and has some wonderful recipes. 

I've tweaked one of the recipes (I know you're shocked) and we're going to be having it for dinner tonight.  It is called Ham Delights.  I'm going to use different kinds of meat and cheese on the rolls and serve them open-faced.  I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.  I might make some soup as well, I'm not sure yet.

These sandwiches are great because they are easy and freeze well.  (two of my favorite words to use about cooking!)  They are great at Christmas time as well as if you are having a shower or any kind of party.  I used to make them all the time & I'm glad I remembered them.  It's going to be a super yummy dinner tonight as it might be rainy and yucky outside.  We may build a fire & play a game or just hang out.

Y'all be blessed beyond measure!
~ashley

Thank you Pinterest!!!

I made the best appetizer last night.  (and it was easy, which you know I am very pro.)  I pulled the recipe off of Pinterest.  I'm not addicted to Pinterest, but I do like it.  It has great recipes, cute outfits, funny sayings, life sayings, ways to make your own detergent, you name it, it's on there.  For those of you not on Pinterest, you make your own 'board' (it is kinda like a ebullitin board) and you pin thing onto your board.  You also name your board.  I'm a little kooky so I decided to have fun/weird names for my boards.  And yes, it does make me happy.

My food board is called 'Feed Us Please!'  I made the cheddar bacon ranch pull apart bread last night to go with my brother's homemade chili recipe, that the picky one LOVES, and well as they say, a picture's worth a thousand words.

The completed pull apart!

And the completed pull apart.

Of course I didn't follow the directions.  You know I have to add my own flair to it.  I've named mine the Sourdough Pull Apart.  The fam demolished it in about 10 minutes.  I have to say it was good & I'm planning on make some more for New Year's Eve & New Year's Day to have with our black eyed peas & turnip greens.  :)  I'm super excited.  It will be a super yummy day.  I pray y'all are having a wonderful Christmas break and that you have a very Happy New Year!

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

Christmas Comfort Food

I love Christmas comfort food.  There are so many things I cook this time of year that reminds me of my mom & MeMaw.  I wish they were alive so I could show them some of the things I've accomplished as a cook.  I feel close to them in the kitchen.

One of the things my MeMaw made that was mack daddy were her Cheese Straws.  I've tried the ones from the grocery store, and they're ok, but not like homemade.  (they're a little dry, have a kind of funky taste & they're not spicy enough for me...just in case you were wondering)  The good thing about cheese straws is that they are not hard to make.  It takes longer to cook them than anything else.  It's also fun to let your children get involved in the cooking.  Mine usually fight over my cookie press.

Tonight Hoppy was the only one at home for a little while & when I asked him if he wanted to press the cheese straws out, he jumped at the chance.  I love it...he's 17 and still wanting to help in the kitchen.  Makes my heart soar...and laugh...he was holding my cookie press like a gun at one point.  I couldn't snap a picture fast enough to catch him.  Crazy kiddo.

There is NOTHING healthy about cheese straws.  Hence, comfort food.  In the past  I've made them with a gluten free flour, and they're not that bad, a little gritty, but passable.  (add enough butter & cheese to anything and it will be palatable.)   I had fun watching Hop press these out.  We did a small batch so it didn't take too long.  There were perfect and so yummy.  I would love to know some of your favorite Christmas comfort foods.  Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas & be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

Some of my Favorite things

Christmas decorations are up in the stores; Magic 96 has started playing Christmas music; and I have to admit...it makes me happy.  (all except for the new Christmas Tree tax the president wants to impose on all of us who love fresh Christmas trees; hey Mr. President, you're killing me.)

I love Christmas.  I love the lights, decorations, music, food, smells, and it's a time for Hopson & me to show our children the true meaning of Christmas.  In the past I have felt pressure, all that I put on myself, to have a perfect Christmas.  What I have learned is that my family just wants to be together; have a little food; and spend some time praising the Lord for when the Word became flesh.  Once I realized this fact, Christmas became easier for me.

Now don't get me wrong, there are certain foods that must be present...it just wouldn't be Christmas at our house without them.  

Something that I learned to make in college from my mom who learned to make it from my MeMaw is homemade mayonnaise.  Most people turn their noses up at it, but once you taste it, oh it's a little bit of sunshine on your plate.  It makes everything taste better.  I eat it plain.  It is so yummy.  It takes some practice to learn how to make it, and you can't make it when it is raining outside, because it will fall.  That's what my MeMaw & mom told me anyway.

Another thing we love to eat are homemade cheese straws.  My MeMaw made the best tasting, most beautiful cheese straws you have ever seen.  I've tried to make mine pretty, but because I'm a lazy cook and not as patient as she was, mine can be quite ugly.  They still taste yummy, but they're not pretty.  I'll also let the kiddos help make them & they don't make them pretty either, but we have fun making them!

I'm going to be posting other recipes that we have for Christmas.  I'm looking forward to the season, as a matter of fact, I think I'll start decorating this weekend.  Merry Christmas to me! 


Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

I Just Need a little Adult Time

I am a huge proponent of adult time.  Now whether I get it or not is another story.  With a big active family it is not always possible to achieve this.  But...when it happens I am always glad I was able to be there.  Hopson and I are part of a couples supper club, and have more laughs than we can stand when we are there.  BTW, supper club, I have 2 words for you...Derby Party, be there...

I was trying to think of a different appetizer to take to last night's dinner.  Our group is crazy about Brie.  Ashley Stockard makes one of the BEST Brie appetizers I've ever had.  I really had a taste for that, but couldn't (and didn't want to try to) replicate it.  I also had a taste for a BLT dip that my friend Shannon makes.  What does someone like me do?  Well mix them of course!  When I was at the grocery store getting the Brie, tomatoes, and bacon, I knew it needed a special spice to go with it...but which one.  I'm standing there smacking my mouth trying to taste in my mind what different spices would taste like with the main 3 ingredients & you know what I came up with?  Smoked Paprika.  It's a spice that's a little crazy, but I'm pretty sure I'll use it again, so I didn't mind buying it.  You know how I feel about crazy ingredients. 

The group approved of the BBT appetizer, I think most of it was gone, and that's usually a good sign.  :)

There was a lot of laughter last night, with some talk about our crazy extended families, being groped at the airport, Thanksgiving and cabins, how to properly calculate how long you've been married, cotton bales, peanut oil on knees, youth sports teams, and how great Robert & Martha Cook's boys look wearing Auburn shirts, among other things.  Fun & laughter was had by all ~ minus the Rumplemints.

If you haven't had in any adult time lately, I highly recommend you get some.  It will make your heart fill lighter and your soul feel fuller.  If I don't get to post before next Thursday, Happy Thanksgiving!  How blessed I am!!!

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley