Homemade Fudge Recipe

My nanny - Betty, who was just like a grandmother to me, use to make this fudge when I was little and the taste of it alone brings back so many fond childhood memories. I can still see Betty (or Beb as I so affectionately called her) sitting in the kitchen stirring a batch of hot fudge over the stove top... it didn't have to be a special holiday or occasion either, she would just randomly whip up this homemade chocolatey goodness for all of us kids. Beb helped raised me from the time I was brought home from the hospital and remained in my life even after my parents no longer needed her childcare services. Both of my grandmothers lived out of state so in many ways she filled in the gaps. Still to this day my mother will say how grateful she was to have her around. Beb is no longer with us, I believe she's gone on to a much better place, but I'll never forget that special lady who always had so much love for me and my siblings and often showed us that love through her cooking.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween dear readers!

Hope you've had a wonderful day, tricking and treating, dressing up, eating candy, having fun with little ones, or whatever else Halloween might mean to you. 

For today's post, I wanted to share some of what Halloween meant around these parts, in terms of decor that is.  ;-)

A look at our front door... some squashes, gourds, and pumpkins (in vintage iron baskets from happy place Scott's Antique Market) alongside some ceramic jack o'lanterns from Kroger and an autumnal berry wreath from Target a few years back and I'm good to go!

 

Quick and easy - but still HOMEMADE - No Bake Cookies!

Y'all, today I want to share one of my favorite recipes, No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies.  It's a favorite because the end result is so yummy, but it sure doesn't hurt that it's quick and easy to boot.  And not to mention - no baking required!!  I got this recipe some years ago from a dear friend and former co-worker, Donna.  Donna is just about one of the sweetest women I've ever had the pleasure of knowing and calling my dear friend, so it's fitting that she's the one who gave me this to-die-for sweets recipe.

Pasta with Tomato and Almond Pesto from America's Test Kitchen

I'm on a recipe sharing kick and this week I want to share one from a public broadcasting TV show that my husband and I love. It's called America's Test Kitchen and you can find it on your PBS channel. I believe they've been on air for over 10 years now, but if you've never seen this show, then I highly recommend you catch an episode. They always demonstrate a recipe or two, but as the name suggests, they also test out different cooking equipment - blenders, specialty knives, toasters, etc as well as test various products. They also do blind taste testing on coffee blends or various peanut butter brands to see which one the audience prefers most. Needless to say, it's really interesting, very educational and the recipes you'll get from them are awesome!

 

A Couscous Recipe That's Quick and Easy and Oh So Tasty!

I've got a really simple couscous recipe that I thought was worthy of sharing with our readers. It's so easy, can be prepared in under 10 minutes, and is excellent served either warm or cold!

All you need are the following ingredients:

(Note I've doubled this recipe so it can be shared with friends, cut ingredients in half if serving 4 people or less.)

• 2 boxes of 'parmesan flavored' couscous (I like the Near East brand)
• About 15 - 20 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• Green onion, I dice the entire bunch
• 1 yellow pepper, diced

 

A darn good (and darn easy) salsa "recipe"

Here I am, once again blogging days past our weekly blog release date (which is Friday, for those of you not in-the-Buncolator know).  Let me just confess that I have been on summer time for some time now (and in my world that's similar to what some call beach time, island time, or lake time). 

This picture is really just perfect, as I absolutely love flamingoes.  So happy and so pink.

A stove-top cover? What a fabulous idea! Plus a white wine spritzer that will knock your socks off!

Several days ago my sister had her first wedding shower which was given by some of my parents' very dear friends who went above and beyond to make her day a very special one! From the adorable bride and groom center piece to the delicious food, these women thoroughly outdid themselves and it was so appreciated. This same group of ladies even threw a shower for me when I was a bride-to-be. What can I say, we love these families and we're so grateful for all they've done for us over the years!

Are your weekend plans rather bland? Spice things up with a cooking class!

If you're looking for something fun to do either with friends or as a date night, then hopefully this post will inspire you! I've been meaning to give The Cook's Warehouse (TCW) a shout out for quite sometime now. My sister turned me on to their cooking classes and I've been hooked ever since... I believe her fiance was a volunteer there which is how she came to know of the place. TCW sells every kitchen gadget imaginable so if you're in need of some Le Creuset pots and pans or maybe a really nice paring knife then you need to check them out, but what sets them apart from their competition is that they offer a wide array of cooking classes taught by some of Atlanta's most accomplished chefs. These instructors own some of the hottest restaurants in town, some of the chefs have made TV appearances, and of course all of them have written a recipe book or two.

Katie's Bacon and Brown Sugar Recipe

Calling all bacon lovers… I have a special recipe for you! If you like Bacon and you like sweets then this is a MUST try. And at most it takes 2 minutes to prep and under 20 minutes to cook… this is seriously easy and seriously delicious.

The Perfect Recipe for your Bunco Game Night – Burgundy Mushrooms!

Happy Friday! I'm uber excited to share a really fabulous recipe which came to me via a very dear friend, Lauren. She is actually great friends with both me and Lindsay. We've known this girl forever and she is many fabulous things rolled into one... a wonderful mother, wife, friend, fashionista, purse hoarder – the girl has more pocketbooks than Imelda Marcos has shoes!

She is captain of her tennis team, was voted most congenial for her senior superlative, and some might call her a comedian because she is down right hysterical. But truthfully, I've never really thought of her as a cook until recently. This is ONLY because she is always saying she doesn't care to be in the kitchen much, not because she doesn't make some really yummy things! After trying a few of her recipes out though I think we can add 'cook' to her long list of attributes.

Well, the other night it was Lauren's turn to host Bunco and she whipped out this mushroom dish that had everyone coming back for more. So, for the foodies who read our blog, I encourage you to try this Burgundy Mushroom recipe. It makes the perfect side dish or you can do as Lauren did and serve as an appetizer. It does take some time, a whopping 9 hours to be exact, but trust me, these shrooms are well worth the wait.
 

I hope you guys enjoy this recipe as much as I do... next time I hope to blog about a delicious candy bacon that I hear is pretty easy to make. First, I gotta get it from Katie, another good friend and fellow bunco player to me and Lindsay. Wish me luck. ;)

Catherine

Burgundy Mushrooms

4 lbs. button mushrooms
2 sticks real butter
1 liter of burgundy wine
5 cloves garlic peeled
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp salt
1 tsp dill weed
4 beef boullion cubes
4 chicken boullion cubes
2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 tsp worcestershire

Put everything except the salt into a large stockpot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer COVERED for 6 hours. Remove the lid and continue to cook UNCOVERED for 3 more hours.

Add salt to taste at the end of cooking, if desired. The mushrooms will be very dark in color. You can simmer these slowly until you need them. Serve warm in chafing dish, with tooth picks or alongside a tenderloin or good steak. They will keep for a few days in the fridge.

Champagne (need I say more)?

      A woman should never be seen eating or drinking, unless it be lobster salad and Champagne, the only true feminine and becoming viands. 

      Lord Byron

I don't agree with ol' Lord Byron on the exclusivity of this statement, as I think a woman should be seen eating or drinking any food she darn well pleases... as long as she is using her proper manners - this is the South, y'know. ;o)  However, I do agree with the passion for Champagne that his comment reveals. 

My Go-To Dish. A Casserole by the Queen of Southern Cuisine.

Everyone needs that go-to dish that they whip together for friends and family when they’re in need of a good, home-cooked meal. Maybe you know someone who has been sick, or has had surgery, or better yet they’ve just brought home a brand-new baby… whatever the occasion may be, the recipe I’m about to share with you is the perfect meal to prepare for a friend in need.