Simple and Fresh Summer Dinner- Pear, Pecan and Gorgonzola Salad

Hello, happy Tuesday! I do not know if you are like me, but I feel like this summer is FLYING by!  We will be in football season again before you know it! During the summer, I always struggle with what to prepare for dinner that does not require the oven.  Since our home doesn't have air conditioning, it makes dinner time especially steamy if I am cooking a big meal in the oven.  So, as a result, I have had to come up with delicious and easy meals that are quick and oven free.  One of my newest favorites is a simple Pear, Pecan and Gorgonzola salad, with a balsamic vinaigrette.  This recipe is SO easy it will take you less than 10 minutes start to finish. If you want protein, you could add some prosciutto or grilled chicken.  

Pear, Pecan and Gorgonzola Salad

• Spring salad mix (or whatever is your favorite)
• 1 medium anjou pear, sliced thin
• 2-3 Tbsp gorgonzola cheese (per serving)
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped pecans (could used walnuts as well!)
• Balsamic vinegar dressing ( I use Brianna's New American Balsamic..its my FAVORITE!)

Place a good sized portion of the salad mix on each plate.  Evenly divide the pear slices between each plate. Sprinkle over cheese and pecans to each plate and drizzle with your favorite balsamic vinegar dressing. ENJOY!

Until next time y'all,

Emily

Southern Summers: Top 5 List

Now that summer has officially begun, I thought it would be fun to reflect back on the things that I miss about the summers of the South. I know you are thinking...how could you miss the hot and humid weather...well I don't really miss that...but summers in the south do have their own sense of charm.  Don't get me wrong the summers in the PNW are fantastic, and sunny and humidity free, but the south is my home, and there will always be things that I love...enjoy!

The Beach

AHHH the BEACH...that feeling of the sand between your toes, warm salty breeze in your hair, and an ice cold beverage in your hand.  To say I miss the beach is an understatement!   Here in the the PNW, there is not a "beach" per say , they have what they call the "coast", which is BEAUTIFUL and majestic  in its own way. The coast is rocky and the water is so cold that you need to wear a wetsuit to swim (seriously!).  My husband and I like to head over to the coast and sit on the beach and watch the waves of the Pacific come crashing to shore, or spend the day exploring tidal pools of Cannon Beach, OR .  Growing up, I spent my summer vacations in one of two places,  the Florida panhandle or Tybee Island, GA . I have some of the most amazing memories of both of these places, and I look forward to one day being able to vacation there again. In the meantime, I will live vicariously through all of my southern friends as they post the "toes in the sand" pics on Facebook and Instagram.

Lighting Bugs

Lighting bugs or fireflies...if you were a child that grew up in the south..you knew what these majestic little bugs were..they were the unofficial mascot of the summer!  Whenever lighting bugs began appearing  you knew that summer was on its way.   These little critters bring up so many good memories of my childhood.  We often would spend time in southern Alabama with my family during the summer. My grandparents had a huge backyard, that my cousins and I would run around in all day long, and at dusk, we would grab jars with holes punched in the top and spend hours catching lighting bugs.   It never really dawned on me that other places in the US do not have them, until we moved west.  It makes me sad to think that the children of the PNW have to grow up without this unofficial summer time mascot... I know I sure do miss seeing them at dusk!

Southern Summer Cuisine

As you probably can guess by now..I love food! During the summer, there are certain foods that I automatically begin to crave.  My top things that I begin to crave that tap into my southern roots are peaches, watermelon, and shaved ice.  

Peaches:  Growing up there was a constant debate about which state had the best peaches; Georgia, Alabama or South Carolina.  I for one have never met a southern peach I didn't like, but I will say that peaches grown outside of that rich southern soil ARE NOT the same. 

Watermelon:  The same goes for watermelon, my all time favorite watermelon comes from Grand Bay, Alabama...every summer when I would go to visit my grandparents in south Alabama, we would drive over to Grand Bay to pick out the perfect watermelon out of someone's pickup truck off the side of the road.  These watermelons are plump and sweet.  

Shaved Ice:  Hawaiian shaved ice stands dot the southern landscape. I grew up down the street from one that sat in the Winn Dixie parking lot. We frequented that stand during those hot and humid summer nights.  One would think, that Oregon would have such stands since we are WAY closer to Hawaii than Georgia...but they do not!  I have seen ONE since I have been out here and it was a food truck at a festival.  There are "rumors" that there is a stand at a pool in South Eugene, but my eyes have not seen this place yet.  What I wouldn't give for one of those delicious frozen treats! Maybe I should open a stand in Oregon! 

 Southern BBQ

In the south, BBQ is one of the quintessential parts of summer. Now, as with the great peach debate, there is much debate surrounding which southern state has the "best" bbq. But I can tell you from first hand experience, there is not one kind of southern BBQ that I didn't like.   Now residents of Oregon claim to make BBQ at several restaurants, I have tried said restaurants and they are NOT BBQ. I am not sure what they are..some sort of smoked pork product, but not BBQ!   

Afternoon Thunderstorms and "Heat Lighting"

Thunderstorms used to be part of my daily vernacular.  People in the PNW FREAK out about thunderstorms (totally not kidding on this). They get "excited" when its thunders or lightings. I for one miss those afternoon thunderstorms, that would barrel through, and leave behind a cool breeze and lower humidity.  Heat lightening, is another southern summer phenomenon that I miss. For those of you that do not know, heat lightening is what can occur on a hot summer evening. It typically is not accompanied by rain or thunder. I am sure there is a scientific reason for this type of summer phenomenon, but, either way..I love it and miss it dearly.

Until next time y'all,

Emily

Em's Chicken Salad with Pecans, Grapes and Vidalia Onions

Hello all..it has been a LONG time since my last post.  I have been quite ill, and am recovering from spinal surgery over the past month. Now that I am finally on the mend, I am ready to jump back into my life again..and for me this includes cooking.  Cooking for me is relaxing, I enjoy making dinner for my husband each night.  I learned to cook at a very young age, this stems from the fact that in the South,  the kitchen is the heart of the home. I have so many fond memories of cooking timeless recipes with my mom and grandmother. Memories that I hope to be able to pass on to my children   one day!

As I prepared to dive back into cooking again after my surgery, I had my husband take me to a local farm to pick up some yummy fresh fruits and veggies.  I stocked up my basket with plenty of squash, zucchini, and tomatoes.  But then, I noticed that they had onions...not any onions, but the onions I grew up eating, Vidalia Onions, from Vidalia, Georgia.  These onions are sweet and delicious. They bring back SO many memories of summer time growing up in Georgia.  My dad would smother a Vidalia onion in butter, then wrap it in tin foil and place it on the grill.  It was DELICIOUS!  So when I spotted these onions 2700 miles from their home, I had to get some! 

When we arrived home, I began thinking about all the wonderful dishes I could make with these onions.  Since I am a lover of chicken salad, I decided to whip up a yummy batch with these onions. The result was too good not to share!  So for all you PNW'ers, if you see these onions in the local grocery store, scoop them up...you will NOT be disappointed!

Em's Chicken Salad with Pecans, Grapes and Vidalia Onions

• 1 rotisserie chicken shredded (could use 2-3 cooked chicken breast)
• 3 cups of grapes, sliced (I used green..but any type grape would work!)
• 1/2 cups of chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup of mayonnaise (I prefer Blue Plate, which I order in bulk on Amazon)
• 1/2 Vidalia onion, diced 
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.  Add more mayo as needed. Enjoy with your favorite crackers, or eat straight out of the bowl (thats what I did!).

Until next time y'all,

Emily

Greek Gyro: An Easy Saturday Night Dinner!

Oregon...the land of lamb...before moving to the PNW I had NEVER had lamb. The only thing I knew of lamb was that it was precious baby animal.  Then we moved here and lamb EVERYWHERE. I don't just mean at restaurants, or at the grocery stores...no I mean that there are flocks of sheep/lamb everywhere!  It is quite a sight during the when you drive along the interstate 5 and see lamb far as the eye can see.  

Like I said, I had never even thought of eating it until I moved to the PNW (in the south we eat a lot of chicken, pork and beef!).  Then one day I tried it...it was DELICIOUS. Our good friends had us over to dinner one night and the wife prepared "greek gyros" with ground lamb meat. It was seriously one the best dishes I have ever had. From that one experience...my recipe for Lamb Gyro was born. I took my friends recipe (thanks again Alyssa!) and added my own twist to it.  Im telling you right now, this is one of the easiest and most delicious things to add to your dinner rotation.  

Greek Gyro (Serves 4)

• 3/4 lb ground lamb ( I get it from the meat counter in my local Market of Choice, Whole foods or another type market would most likely carry good quality lamb)
• 2 cloves of garlic- diced
• 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
• 1 tsp fresh parsley
• 1tsp fresh dill
• 1tsp fresh mint
• salt and peper to taste

To dress the gyro:

• diced tomatoes 
• sliced and peeled cucumber
• tzatziki sauce ( I use a local company that is sold in the stores..Im lazy!)
• crumbled feta cheese
• diced red onion
• sliced black or kalamata olives
• sliced banana peppers
• Spinach leaves
• Greek flat bread 

1.  Combine lamb and next 7 ingredients in a bowl.  Heat a large skillet with olive oil (you can also put on grill if the weather is nice!).  Form the meat mixture into long hot dog like logs (see picture below).  Place in hot pan.  Cook over medium heat, rotating ever so often to evenly cook the meat.

2.  While the meat is cooking, slice up all your veggies to dress the gyro, and heat up the flat bread on a stove top skillet (a few minutes each side). Do not leave on too long or will burn.

3.  Once meat is browned on all sides, take off heat and place on paper towel to rest. Slice the meat logs in half long ways, so that it will fit nicely on the flat bread.

4.  Take flat bread and place a layer of spinach down, then place the meat on top. Add as many toppings as you like and finish with tzatziki sauce and a sprinkle of feta. 

5.  Wrap the  entire flat bread in foil (makes it MUCH easier to eat!), and serve with your favorite side. I usually pick up something from the deli case at the grocery store, but would also pair nicely with a salad!

Enjoy!

ENJOY!

Until next time y'all,

Emily

Laissez les bon temps roulez!

Laissez les bon temps roulez...Let the good times roll...this phrase symbolizes the season of Mardi Gras.  Whether you are in New Orleans or Mobile (THE original birthplace) during the months of January, February and sometimes even March (depending on when Easter falls), this is a phrase you hear often.  

Historically Mardi Gras is tied to a religious celebration.  It is the last BIG party before Lent, or the 40 days leading up to Easter each year.  The idea being that you get all your partying out, and then for 40 days you repent prior to Easter.  For me Mardi Gras is a tradition that is deeply rooted in my southern upbringing. I have attended Mardi Gras parades for as long as I can remember.

Each year, everyone always is sad after the Christmas and New Year's holidays are over.  In our family, we are EXCITED because that means that Mardi Gras is only a few weeks away.  My husband and father are both members of a parading organization, and it is a  BIG deal to prep for this each year. So each year when my holiday decorations come down my Mardi Gras decorations go up! I guarantee you that I am the ONLY person in Eugene OR to have a purple, green and gold Mardi Gras wreath on my front door (see pics below)!

When we first moved to the PNW, we were telling some of our new friends about Mardi Gras, and they kinda looked at us like we had three eyes. They were like, uh you go to New Orleans each year and lift your shirt for beads.  We laughed, and then explained to them, that New Orleans Mardi Gras and the partying you see on Bourbon Street IS NOT what our Mobile, AL Mardi Gras is all about.  Mobile is the original birthplace of Mardi Gras, it is MUCH tamer and family friendly.  Ours is about getting together with all of our extended family for one weekend a year, where we go to parades, and get dressed up and go to a ball.  Our non-southern friends are so intrigued by the customs of Mardi Gras and we often have long conversations about all the traditions that go along with it.  I have to admit it was a bit strange at first being amongst a population of people who had no idea about this tradition. And Lord, it took me forever to find ANY decorations for my house...Thank GOD for Amazon Prime! :)  My husband and I have LOVED being able to share this tradition with our PNW friends. In fact, it has become our annual tradition to host a Mardi Gras party, complete with all the traditional foods, I even had crawfish flown in from the south last year!  Mardi Gras is southern tradition that I have really enjoyed bringing to the PNW, and maybe along the way I may even convince some of our PNW friends to come down and join us one year!

Laissez les bon temps roulez!  

Until next time y'all,

Emily

Black Eyed Peas and Collard Greens Soup: A new way to use New Year's Day Leftovers

Like all good Southerns, each year on New Year's Day a feast is prepared with all the traditional  dishes. The typical New Year's Day meal is comprised of some sort of pork product (chops, loin, etc), black eyed peas, collard greens and cornbread. Here is a good link with all the explanation and history behind this traditional meal: Southern New Year's Day Feast.  As I have gotten older I have come to look forward to this meal and typically spend atleast a day prior prepping the peas and collard greens (WHICH are hard to find in Oregon!).  The one thing that is hard is cooking this meal for two people without having SO many leftovers that you do not know what to do with them.  

Instead of eating plan old leftovers for several days... this year I put together a new recipe to "reuse" the peas and collards.  I created a large pot of soup, which I was able to munch on for a few days AND put half of it away in the freezer for a chilly winter night! I created this soup from scratch, which may sound scary, but, it really was simple!  My husband loved it so much he had two BIG helpings!

Black Eyed Peas and Collard Soup (AKA Scarlett O's Stone Soup--as coined by my husband!)

• 3 cloves of garlic- peeled and diced
• 2 stalks of celery-diced
• 2 carrots-diced
• 1/2 medium white onion- diced
• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
• Salt/ Pepper 
• 2 cups of chicken stock (could use vegetable)
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (could omit)
• 3-4 Cups of Pot Likker (reserved juice from cooked collard greens)
• 1-2 small potatoes-peeled and diced
• Can of Kidney beans- 14.5 oz- do not rinse- add juice
• Can of diced tomatoes-14.5 oz
• Can of fire roasted, diced tomatoes- 14.5 oz
• 3 Cups Black Eyed Peas
• 3  Cups of Collard Greens
• Medium package of Link Sausage/ Kabasa sliced into small bite sized pieces ( I used a spicy pork sausage--I like spicy food!

Instructions: 

1. In large pot, sauté' garlic, carrots, onion and celery in 3 Tbsp of olive oil, until tender>
2. Add Salt/Pepper (to taste--I did two pinches of salt, and a few grinds of pepper from the pepper mill).
3. Add 2 Cups of chicken stock, oregano, parsley and red pepper flakes, let simmer a minute or two.
4. Add Pot Likker (juice from cooked collard greens) and potatoes and let simmer for another few minutes or so.
5. Add kidney beans, diced tomatoes, fire roasted tomatoes, black eyed peas, collard greens and sausage to the pot.
6. Let simmer on low for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Serve piping hot with a parmesan cheese and crusty bread

Simmering!

ENJOY!

Until next time y'all,

Emily

Happy New Year

Hello all,

Now that the holiday season is over, it is time to dive into the new year! And I don't know about you but I was READY for 2014 to be over! Nothing makes me happier at the beginning of a new year than to get a new planner. Call me old fashion, but despite all the technology in the world, I like the good old fashion paper planner.  It could be my type A personality, but there is nothing more satisfying than making a "to do" list and being able to check things off.

As I was preparing to purchase a new planner, I decided this year I would make the leap to get a nicer, more customized planner than the typical Target brand I have gotten in years past. I begin doing some research and there are quite a few "trendy" planners out there.  I really loved Erin Condrine's planners, but I couldn't bite the bullet on the price.  So I looked around a bit  more, and decided to look on Etsy, for a customized planner.  And let me tell you I was BLOWN away by some of the choices on Etsy, there are truly some very talented people in the world!  After comparing for hours, I finally decided on a customized, monogram (you know I HAD too..I'm southern) planner from Lotus Paper Co.   I selected a design, and contacted the owner...low and behold the owner is from Bend, OR...small world indeed!  She worked with me to design a planner that would fit my needs and meet my budget.  I am in LOVE with my new planner, if you are looking for one, I highly suggest contacting Christina at Lotus Paper Co..you will NOT be disappointed!

Until next time y'all,

Emily