Sugar & Spice by Celeste

This past weekend, Brad and I took a quick vacation getaway to one of our favorite little mountain towns - Helen, GA.  We fell in love with the German charm and easy-going atmosphere of this quaint community during our first visit there last year (see my post HERE ) and have been wanting to go back ever since.  Sometimes, all you need is a few days of rest, relaxation and a tad bit of mountain adventure to recharge your batteries!  We had a TON of fun! And you know what?  As it turns out, Helen, GA is a great place for a foodie to explore.  I love traveling to different places and checking out the local specialties, and there's no shortage in Helen.  Between the old-time general stores (the Old Sautee Store was my favorite!), farmers markets, fudge shoppes, Hofer's German Bakery , Jumpin' Goat Coffee Roasters , Nacoochee Grill , Nacoochee Village Tavern , and the Nora Mill Granary , there's delicious food around every turn...literally. It's funny how

I think I've done it...I've finally found a Buttermilk Biscuit recipe that's worthy of passing down to future generations.  With this recipe, Dorie Greenspan creates a flaky, swoon-inducing biscuit that has a wonderfully scrumptious taste. There's something about homemade-from-scratch buttermilk biscuits that just makes me happy.  They are comforting, easy to make and are guaranteed to make any meal better, if you ask me.  Maybe it's the memories that going through the motions of patting out the dough and cutting the biscuits brings back for me.  When I was little, my grandmother would ask me to cut the biscuits using an upside-down glass as a cutter.  That was always so much fun. First of all, buttermilk biscuits don't require fancy ingredients, and I bet you already have everything you need sitting in your kitchen.  Don't have buttermilk??  No problem at all...just substitute the buttermilk for regular milk in this recipe and remove the baking so

Tonight, I write this post with a very heavy heart.  There's a light rain falling outside, which unfortunately matches the sad mood around here.  It's been about a week since my last post, and I apologize for that.  The truth is, I just honestly haven't been up to writing this week. Those of you who have experienced the joy that a dog can bring into your life will understand better than most.  On Valentine's Day, my sweetheart of a cocker spaniel, Lady, passed away after 13 fun-filled years right by my side.  She was the sweetest dog I've ever known, and I sure do miss that little pup so much.  She battled a cancerous tumor on her tummy for quite a while, and she fought it until the very end.  It was just her time, I guess. This quote by Anatole France says it best: "Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." I remember when I first got Lady...It was Christmas of 1998.  That year, I had asked for a coc

Some dishes just beg to be eaten.  This is one of those meals. Upon first glance, the bright red cherry tomatoes, vibrant green cilantro, and pan seared salmon fillets nestled on top invite you in for a visual treat.  After you get past the pretty colors popping off the plate, the citrusy aromas from the lemon find their way to your nose. Sounds pretty great, right? Well, this dish is a treat both to look at and eat.  After all, the old adage rings true - We do indeed eat first with our eyes. The flavor combinations here are splendid - whole wheat couscous, paprika, fresh ginger, red onion, lemon, cherry tomato, and cilantro are excellent partners for salmon, as it turns out.  This dish is bright and refreshing, while satisfying at the same time. It's a healthy meal that will leave you with a full tummy and a happy smile.  :) Bon Appetit! Lemony Salmon with Cherry Tomato Couscous Source:  foodnetwork.com Adapted from :  Nigella Kitchen

the help of recipes like this one, leftovers can indeed be exciting!  Versatility is always great in the kitchen, and this dish from Nigella Lawson is a very versatile recipe that could be different every single time that you make it.  Often, I have left-over beef or chicken from the previous night, and this is the perfect way to incorporate those leftovers and give them new life. You can add any sort of meat that you have on-hand to this dish...sliced steak, chopped chicken, shredded beef, lamb, shrimp...so many possibilities! The flavors of this dish are interesting and wonderful with the addition of pomegranate seeds.  I haven't really added them to dishes very much in the past, but I'm excited to find new ways to use them now.  The simplicity of this meal also makes it a flash to put together on a busy weeknight when the last thing you want to do is spend hours in the kitchen. A distinct nuttiness is added by the toasted almonds, which helps to round out t