Sugar & Spice by Celeste

*** A great friend of mine, Ashley, recently told me about some calzones that she had had at a friend's house.  At the party, everyone made their own calzones...sounds fun, doesn't it?  Basically, she said they all started with pizza dough, and then added the toppings of their choice from a big selection.  That sounds like my kind of party! So, when I saw these calzones the very next day in The Pioneer Woman's new cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks , I decided that I just HAD to give homemade calzones a try.  It was just meant to be!  Now, I have to warn you...These aren't the tomato sauce and pepperoni type calzones that you're probably used to ordering at your local Italian eatery.  These are truly "COWBOY" calzones...hamburger meat, sausage, onion, Rotel, and lots of cheese make up the filling.  And I also will admit that I used store-bought pizza dough...I just couldn't be bothered with making my own dough that night.  They ...

Meet "Gooseman"...Isn't he the cutest?  :-) UPDATE:  THANK YOU so very much to everyone who voted for Gooseman.  I'm thrilled to report that our efforts paid off...Gooseman is officially "Bama's Best Dog!!"  That's so exciting!  Congrats Gooseman! Hello to all of my wonderful blog readers...I usually don't publish posts that don't have anything to do with food, HOWEVER...One of my best friends, Mary Katherine, needs your help!  Her sweet, sweet puppy "Gooseman" has been selected out of over 1,300 entries for a chance to win "Bama's Best Dog."  Please take a few minutes to vote for her furbaby at THIS LINK .  It only takes a few seconds.  I'd be so grateful if ya'll could help her out!  A three-night beach vacation is on the line for Mary Katherine! Please hurry...the voting only continues through 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, March 31! Go Gooseman!!!  :-)

Economic times are tough. We all know that. And, Earth Fare, the healthy supermarket, seems to know that too. Have you been to their stores? If so, you would know that they are always trying to make healthy eating affordable, easy and delicious! Seriously - have you tried their homemade, all-natural chocolate chip cookies - if not, it is .99 cents of deliciousness! Well, in celebration of the opening of their new Huntsville, AL store on May 12th, Earth Fare gave me a $50.00 gift card to give away! Yeah, very cool. They just said, hey Celeste...Give this away for us! So, now, we want you to tell us why you deserve or just plain want this gift card. We've all got stories. You may have a family of four to feed on a tight budget. You may have lost your job recently and just need some extra help. You may be a cookie lover or organic food nut! Or, perhaps for whatever reason, you've never tried a healthy food store and just want to see what it's like! Give us your best reason,...

*** Oh my...This dish is enough to make your heart flutter.  The colors...the presentation...the fact that it's super easy!  Dinner doesn't get much better than this.  The flavors of the feta cheese and kalamata olives will take you straight to Greece, and you'll be sad when you take that last bite...I promise! This recipe is so fantastic, that I've made it twice already!  The mint adds a wonderful freshness that really sends the flavors over-the-top.  A simple salad of tomato, feta, olives, mint and olive oil are mixed together first, and then that is allowed to marinate and get happy while the chicken cooks.  A quick saute of the chicken, and you're almost done.  Just add the salad over the top, and dinner is served! I can always count on Martha Stewart's online recipe collection when I need a fast and easy weeknight dinner option.  She really hit a homerun here...You'll LOVE this dish! Bon Appetit!*** Greek Chicken Cutlets Source...

*** After just one look through Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours , this Caramel-Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake stands out even among the other scrumptious desserts.  The full-page photo immediately sold me on this cake...Gooey caramel dripping down the sides, a perfectly chocolate brownie cake base, and caramel-covered peanuts strategically placed on the top...It's enough to make you drool, alright! I was in search of the perfect birthday cake for my sis-in-law, and this looked and sounded great.  It was a something different, and it definitely didn't disappoint!  Creamy vanilla ice cream just put it over the top.  With the ice cream, it tasted a lot like a Peanut Buster Parfait from Dairy Queen.  If you're worried about making your caramel from scratch, you shouldn't be.  Dorie is so wonderful about giving clear and concise instructions...She really takes the guesswork out of baking.  Just be sure to watch the caramel while it is cooking...

Me & GrannyRene...Having fun in the kitchen. *** This post is going to be difficult for me.  I'm writing this entry at the end of what has easily been one of the hardest weeks I've ever been through.  On the morning of March 5th, I found out that my GrannyRene had been rushed to the hospital.  She passed away later that afternoon.  It was so unexpected.  We had to say goodbye way too early, and my heart is broken. My GrannyRene was one of the strongest people that I've ever known...Strong in every way.  She was so kind and loving...and was incredibly involved in the community...especially her church.  She volunteered so much of her time, because she truly enjoyed helping people and doing her part to make this world a little brighter.  She's taught me so many things through the years, including the fact that we have to take one day at the time...and that's exactly what I'll have to do. I know she's smiling down on me right now...