chocolate understands

Its been a very tough, emotional draining week.

And I've been eating out of the nutella jar by the spoonful.

And this was supposed to be the week i "got back on track"

Well, at least chocolate understands...

good thing to remember

Source: healthylivingforyou.tumblr.com via Evie on Pinterest

Source: the-girl-who-ate-everything.com via Evie on Pinterest

Aww, Shucks! :0)

breaking blogger silence

So i guess its about time for me to break my blogger silence that has been going on for... well... awhile now. what have i been up to? here goes:

Shane and I had a marvelous 1 year anniversary down in Savannah last month. I'm thinking its my new happy place. I love the old historic building and the charming square gardens that are on every other turn. Its so romantic. We took a horse carriage tour and then an evening trolley ghost tour as well & I loved introducing "my Savannah" to Shane. I've just about decided that if i had to live anywhere else than my beloved Mountville, I'd choose Savannah. This trip we stayed further back off the river at our cozy bed and breakfast, The Azalea Inn, and I think I liked it much better. I could walk those old charming backstreets any day. {I'm ready to go back tomorrow}

Here we are finishing dinner one night at the underground Alligator Soul ! Yummmm.....

Yes, Savannah was definitely a highlight this past month for my family also experienced a bit of heartache recently as well. Not the end of the world kinda of stuff but when a family is as close as mine, when one member experiences troubled times, we all do. But Jesus is good through the good and bad... and time really does have a way of healing as well.

{I want you by: Kelly Clarkson}

Its been hot hot here the last couple of days with thunderstorm (with even hale last night). I recently broke out my Kelley Clarkson All I Ever Wanted CD and have been jamming while on the road. I love that girl! She can SANG!

Summertime food is here! The last couple nights I've made this stuffed zucchini:

and this lime {i used lemon}, avocado & shrimp salad {but made it into a sandwich with roll & a bit of lettuce}:

other interesting info includes: getting cussed out by a man yesterday in the publix parking lot for not putting my buggy up in front of his 8 year old daughter who was in a catholic school uniform {and just FYI: i usually put my buggy up but it was SO hot and the buggy holder was way across the parking lot from me so i didn't... hate me, whatever} I wanted to roll my eyes, flip him a finger, and fly out of the parking lot... but then i remembered I have a Jesus sticker on the back of my car so I couldn't... instead i just gave a sigh, smiled and drove off. Situations like that always throw me for a loop.

just eat a skinny person...

funny! i saw this and it made me laugh! Because warmer weather is right around the corner & all of us are starting to think about those itsy bitsy, teeny weeny, yellow, polka- dot- bikinis... or whatever you wear at the beach...

"I just need to eat a skinny person"

For delicious low fat recipes, check out Gina's Skinny Recipes blog! i found her blog through her lovely pics one day and I've already tried a couple of her recipes & they both were delicious. She also shows the total calories & fat per serving in that recipe which is really lovely!

yummy & delicious

Everyone have a yummy & delicious weekend! Hope spring colors pop up all weekend long for you too! I have been craving sweets {and yummy food in general as seen below!} all week! Whats the deal! Don't these cupcakes look devine!

thankful

*****

Yes, I am thankful today. I have so many reasons to be thankful... loving husband, wonderful family, warm bed at night, roof over my head, my health... the list could go on & on. But today I'm thankful most of all that I don't live near this THIS yummy place in NYC called S'mac {because you would most likely see me camped out there every other day & then have to proceed with rolling me out the door just to get me to leave}. I discovered this place while browsing through the world wide web and I started salivating the moment I saw the goods this place is putting out! I mean really people... does it get any better than that... all different kinds of mac'n cheeses!? Genius!! The #1 on my list to try: the Parisienne : Creamy Brie, roasted figs, roasted shiitake mushrooms & fresh rosemary {insert drool!} This place might even be a bucket lister...

waffle iron or...

Am I behind the times? How long has this and this been going on and I'm just now finding out about it! {sigh} Who's tried them before? I'm trying them both out asap!

goat cheese rant

goat cheese torta

Oh Martha... how you do make my mouth water. Was browsing over at marthastewart.com this a.m. for a little holiday inspiration and I got completely side tracked by her goat cheese. I can't seem to get enough of it these days. I've decided that everything taste better with a little side of goat cheese! Last night for supper I made a My Love and I a pita pizza {sort of thing} and sprinkled the top with caramelized onions and goat cheese... delish! This past weekend my family and I spent some time up in Saluda/Hendersonville NC {I love that place!} and went to a charming little bistro in downtown Hendersonville called Mrs. G and Me. I ordered this goat cheese torta very similar to Martha's above {for my meal} and almost licked the plate afterwards. I am definitely a fan. That warm goat cheese appetizer above looks amazing! Pair it with that beutiful cracker ...Yummy! If you're deciding on an appetizer for your holiday gathering... go with the goat cheese friends!

please stop beating down my doorway...

Remember Just call me Jennifer Hudson... once upon a time ago. Well, lets just say I've been living by a new quote lately {ahum, see above}... and it ain't good! and Thanksgiving and Christmas are beating down my doorway along with the pizza delivery guy! Whats a girl to do! Go clothes shopping and get depressed b/c nothing in my size still fits then get inspired to join the Jennifer Hudson crusaders again? Ok, its a plan...

Butternut Squash and Mushroom Wellington

This article/recipe from The New York Times made my mouth water. My Love and I have been a bit all over the place lately, therefore cooking has been the last thing on our minds. However, I believe I just found some inspiration! I'm off to the grocery store! Planning to surprise him with a delish meal and possibly a little candle light tonight I'm thinking...

just call me Jennifer Hudson!

******

Just call me Jennifer Hudson, ya'll! I recently saw her on a weight watchers video and she really looks awesome! I heard she started at a size 14 and is down to a size 6! Crazy! Although I've always thought she looked wonderful! (We're kinda built the same way!) So.... I've joined weight watchers online and today is day 2! Its official now that I've blogged about it so I HAVE to keep it up! I want to see how much weight I can loose till Christmas! I'm excited! My sisters are doing it too so wish us luck!! I'll catch u up on my progress as I go!

Fried Green Tomatoes

yummm**

Last night My Love and I enjoyed a night full of fried green tomatoes. After spending some time in Belk's, spending some hundreds of dollars in gift cards that we had consolidated from wedding presents/returns, we stopped in at our ultra charming Southern Fried Green Tomatoes restaurant. I love this place. It is a great family restaurant full of warm southern hospitality and delicious comfort foods. While we nibbled on hot biscuits and cornbread, we started reminiscing over the movie, Fried Green Tomatoes and I couldn't believe how little I could remember about the movie! I could remember, "Tawandaaaa!" and the basic plot, but I loved this movie growing up and couldn't remember the last time I'd watched it. So it was decided, while eating my fried green tomato BLT, homemade apple sauce and green been casserole we'd stop by our blockbuster on the way home & watch it that night.

This movie is such a classic because it ultimately is about friendships and the value they add to our lives. These characters hold such debt that you really feel their emotions while watching, and I especially love watching the strong loyalty that develops because of these strong relationships. I had forgotten Chris O'Donnell was in the film and what a major crush I had/ still have on him! And Big George was always one of my favorites in this movie! And I could always relate to Idgie because I was a bit of a tom boy back in the days and I loved her sense of fashion!(*sigh, if you haven't seen this movie in a while, hurry and watch it before the hot weather leaves because it is definitely a sweltering, hot southern movie!)

Atlanta & My Weekend of Food

Friday afternoon conversation:

My Love: "So what do you want to do this afternoon? Do we have any plans for the weekend?"
Me: "Well, I was thinking we could go to a matinee, I haven't seen a movie in forever and Dad said that Salt was really good and we'd probably like it."
My Love: "Hmmm... yea. We could do that...

Me: "Well, what do you want to do... I gave an idea."

My Love: "Lets get out of town for the night. Get a hotel somewhere, eat, relax, just get away. What you think?"

Me: "Uhhhh, YEAH! Ok, your idea was better!"

Source

So my weekend consisted of basically eating! And relaxing. But a lot of eating. We arrived at our hotel, the Grand Hyatt in Buckhead, Atlanta around 7:30pm. We had just enough time to freshen up in our room before making our dinner reservation at 8:30 at Fogo de Chao.

Ok, so I had never been to a Brazilian Steakhouse. And I'm telling you, if you haven't ever gone, go. It was so delish...and I'm not even a huge red meat fan. Basically the restaurant cooked 15 different cuts of meat. And if you wanted all those 15 cuts, you could have them. You just flip your little card over to green and the meat men come running. My Love was in heaven. They also had a fabulous salad bar. I especially loved watching all our "gaucho" servers rush by with deliciously cooked meats. I felt like I was in Brazil because all our servers had Brazilian accents! It was great. I practically had be rolled out though! Was just too much food! Hmmm, yummy but so good!

Source

The next morning we headed to The Flying Biscuit Cafe for brunch where they are known for smooth, creamy grits, delicious biscuits and fabulous atmosphere. Again, food delish! My omelet stuffed with mushrooms and goat cheese, grits, and biscuit = heaven.

Pic by Framed

Sunday, back at home, we headed to my parents house to have a cookout out at the pond. My uncle is in from Canada so the whole fam was there to welcome him home. Again, lots of food, fun, fellowship. I made this recipe from the wonderful Framed blog. I have grown addicted to her food blog and love her pics! And what a success the peach crumble was! Everybody commented how good it was! And you can't get easier than that! Thanks Framed!

Hope everyone else had a great weekend too!!