Sugar & Spice by Celeste

Gracious, this summer has been busy!  How are these warm, summer days going for your family? We've had an ABUNDANCE of rain...there have even been a few days where I wondered if it would ever stop.  My veggie garden has mostly loved all the rain, but even a garden doesn't like too much.  Alas, powdery mildew and early blight usually make an appearance at some point in my backyard garden, but for right now, it's still going strong! This year, my cucumbers have done much better.  Last year they did okay but not great.  I built a trellis out of bamboo stakes this year, and they really seem to like their new spot.  I grow them mainly for one reason...pickles! My family LOVES them, and homemade pickles are SOOOOOO much better than store-bought.  Have you ever tried making your own?   It's easy-peasy!  Really! Slice your cucumbers, place them into a jar and pour a hot mixture of vinegar, water, garlic and salt over the top.  Place the lid...

I couldn't post my Homemade Naan Bread recipe without also sharing my favorite homemade hummus!  They go together like peanut butter and jelly, after all! I'm fairly certain our daughter could live off of hummus.  She loves it with soft pita bread, pita chips, grape tomatoes, sweet peppers and sliced cucumbers.  Really, our whole family loves it.  I've even been known to spread it on lightly toasted slices of my Homemade Naan Bread  with a  sprinkling of Everything Seasoning and sliced turkey for a quick turkey sandwich. For convenience sake, I often buy the individual snack packs of hummus at the grocery store to make snack time easy, but nothing beats making it homemade.  The lemon juice adds a terrific freshness, and this recipe reminds me of the hummus at Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe. Celeste's Favorite Hummus Ingredients: 1 (15 oz) can chick peas, drained (reserve liquid) 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup tahini 1 clove garlic, minced 2 Tbsp Extra...

Have you had the bread service at Disney World's Sanaa Restaurant at Animal Kingdom Lodge?  The stuff is legendary.  There, you can feast on fresh Naan with a big selection of assorted dipping sauces...all with a view of the savanna while zebras and giraffes meander by.  I love Animal Kingdom and Animal Kingdom Lodge...they are a must when we visit! Homemade Naan is easier than you might think.  While traditional Naan is made in a hot tandoor oven, home cooks can get a similar result with a hot cast iron skillet (or a non-stick skillet if you don't have cast iron).  The trick is making sure your skillet is nice and hot before cooking the bread.   Also, the secret ingredient is the greek yogurt, which helps gives Naan it's pillowy texture.  I love drizzling warm Naan with either a little melted butter or olive oil and a sprinkle of Everything Seasoning.  YUM!   Naan has many uses, such as flatbread, pizzas, sandwiches, or just as a side for hu...

A few nights ago, I pulled out the ingredients to make this Homemade Hot & Sour Soup .  My husband came home right about that time, and asked if I had any crispy wonton strips to add to the soup. Ummm....whoops! I didn't. And he was right...the soup NEEDED them like peanut butter needs jelly. After a quick Google session, I realized that I could whip some up pretty quickly.  And that, I did. Honestly, these were SOOO much better than any of the store-bought options.  They came together in mere minutes and were crunchy, crispy and oh so wonderful! Homemade Fried Wontons Adapted from: Allrecipes Ingredients: 1 egg ⅓ cup water 2 cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt Canola oil, for frying Directions: In a medium bowl, beat the egg. Mix in the water. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Create a well in the center of the mixture and slowly pour in the egg and water. Mix well. If the mixture is too dry, increase the amount of water one teaspoon at a time ...

Hand-written recipes are the best. Who's ready for some Thanksgiving dressing??  Dressing is serious business around here.  Brad excitedly waits ALL year for the wonderful day that dressing graces his dinner plate.  In fact, I have to make 2 separate pans of it at the holidays.  One classic recipe, plus one with sausage added.  That way, there's sure to be plenty for leftovers after the hubbub of the big day is over. This year, we had an extra special treat when my Mom visited us.  She was in the mood for her famous Chicken & Dressing for dinner, and Brad and I weren't ABOUT to complain.  You see, her dressing is the stuff holiday dreams are made of.  She's made it the same for as long as I can remember, and it's simply fabulous.  Try as I might, I've never been able to pull it off like her.  Mine always turns out differently.  But alas, I watched every step while she made it this time, and I think I've got it!  Ho...

  Can I just start out by saying how much I loved this meal?  It's such a flavor-packed combination that's filled with healthy goodness like red quinoa, corn and kale.  But, this isn't one of those puny, healthy meals that leaves you hungry.  No sir...This is one of those dinners that will make you realize that eating healthy can be delicious! Plus, it's such a pretty meal, that you'll want to dig right in.  The chicken is super simple to make.  Chicken breasts are flavored with fresh rosemary, salt & pepper, and then sauteed until done.  Next, the quinoa is flavored with onions, garlic, fresh basil, mint and lemon juice. Mmm. My mouth is seriously watering right now. Be sure and use fresh rosemary, basil and mint if possible.  Fresh herbs make a big difference with this recipe.   Bon Appetit, my friends! Rosemary Chicken with Corn Quinoa Adapted from:  Southern Living magazine September 2013 Ingredients: 4 ...

Zucchini and yellow squash are veggies that I cook often, but I'm definitely guilty of slicing them into boring little pieces and cooking them the same old way time after time.  Never had I sliced them into pretty, thin ribbons as this recipes calls for.  It takes a wee bit of extra effort, but the resulting dish is fun and delicious. A good vegetable peeler is key here.  Also, the thinner the zucchini/squash, the easier they are to slice. For this healthy side, the squash ribbons are tossed with either baby spinach or fresh arugula, parsley, a squirt of vibrant lemon juice, and olive oil.  It's the perfect flavor-filled side dish to make while summer is winding down.  Plus, there's no cooking or heat involved! Bon Appetit, my friends! Squash Ribbon Salad Adapted from:  Southern Living magazine, August 2013 Ingredients: 1 pound zucchini 1 pound ...

After an impromptu trip to the farmer's market last weekend, I had a bag full of gorgeous heirloom tomatoes, grape tomatoes, fresh okra, and a few additional yummy findings.  Okra and Tomatoes is one of my very favorite summer side dishes, and this recipe from Southern Living was a fresh take on a classic, plus the perfect way to utilize my farmer's market loot. The original recipe called for 1 large green tomato, but I substituted with 2 medium heirloom tomatoes instead.  I absolutely adore heirloom tomatoes...they are so hard (if not impossible) to beat! This version is packed with great flavors, which are complemented by fragrant basil and parsley.  I'm trying to use up as much of this delicious summer produce as I can...while it lasts!  Are you doing the same? Bon Appetit, my friends! Okra and Tomatoes Adapted from:  Southern Living magazine, August 2013 Ingredients: 8 ounces fresh okra ...

This is an EASY-CHICK-PEASY , light and fresh side for those last sweltering weeks of summer.  There's no heat involved with the preparation of this dish, which is always a blessing when its nearly 100 degrees outside. The flavors are bountiful and fresh - chickpeas, red bell peppers, fresh herbs and feta are the stars of this show.  They are brightened up with a spritz of fresh lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil and a dash of salt.  A little minced shallot also makes an appearance. If you're looking for a healthy and easy side that's flawless for summer, look no more.   Bon Appetit, my foodie friends! Chickpea & Feta Salad Adapted from:  Southern Living magazine, August 2013 Ingredients: 1 (15.5 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 2 red bell peppers, diced 1 small shallot, minced 2 tablespoons f...

After the 2013 Southern Baking Retreat , I couldn't help but come home and bake biscuits.  This resulted in a delicious explosion of flour in my kitchen, but it's so worth the mess.  Homemade biscuits have always been a favorite thing of mine to make.  Mostly in part because it brings back all those wonderful memories of being in the kitchen with my grandmother, cutting biscuits with an upside-down sweet tea glass.  Plus, I'm a self-proclaimed "bread girl," so no meal is complete without some sort of biscuit, toast or roll on the side. When it comes right down to it, is there any food more quintessentially southern and delicious than a well-made buttermilk biscuit?    It's an art form in itself.  Even though there's really only 3 ingredients involved - flour, butter & buttermilk - so much can go right, or so much can go wrong on any given biscuit-making day. It's all about the technique and ingredients that you use:  Southe...

Every good Southerner knows that a deliciously comforting (and probably cheesy) casserole is a must at any potluck dinner.  A classic green bean casserole has always been one of Brad's favorites.  Maybe it's partly because of the scrumptious onion rings that grace the top, or maybe it's because they're just downright yummy. I stumbled upon Paula Deen's recipe recently and knew that I had to make it for him.  Plus, it's the perfect thing to make when fresh green beans come into season, which won't be long! I love this recipe because it incorporates fresh mushrooms into the mix.  It's an easy side dish that would be great to take along to family picnics this summer, or it would be equally perfect for your dinner table tonight. Bon Appetit, my friends! Green Bean Casserole Adapted from:  Paula Deen ***This recipe can be doubled to fill one 9x13" baking dish*** Ingredients: 1/3 stick butter 1/2 cup diced onions 1/2 cup sliced fresh mu...

In celebration of surpassing 2,000 Facebook fans, let's have an awesome giveaway, shall we?! I recently met Mary from Gourmet Garden at FoodBlogSouth 2013 back in January.  They were sponsoring the conference, and I got to taste samples of their goodies.  I love the convenience of their products, because I'm not always able to have a big selection of fresh herbs hanging out in my fridge.  That's where Gourmet Garden really comes in handy.   Their herbs are organically grown, and then washed, chopped, blended, and packed into handy little tubes for everyday use.  They also last months in the fridge, which is another big plus for me.  Some of their varieties include Parsley, Cilantro, Chili Pepper, Basil, Garlic and even Lemon Grass! Last night, I whipped up their recipe for Quinoa with Parsley & Bell Peppers.  I added some diced, leftover roasted pork loin from the night before, taking it from a simple side dish to a full meal.  ...