Caution: Sharing Ahead!

Hey Y'all!

It's been a fun Tuesday here in my lil' town, I was able to have lunch with both my grandmothers, and spend some time running "fun places" with Momma and Mama B.

Since I'm back home, Momma has had to get readjusting to eating at home... I guess empty-nest means no need to cook. But, I'm here and I enjoy cooking so we decided to try out a few new recipes from only the best, Southern Living this week.
Now normally I do not share recipes, especially if it is something that I've created on my own ... I never was good at sharing and I guess that part stuck with me! Anyway - since these recipes are "public knowledge" and printed in the March 2011 and August 2010 issues, I'll share a dinner+dessert duo that is hands-down one of the best {+ easiest} I've had in a while!

Dinner for starters, was Grilled Chicken and Veggie Tortellini:

Take 4 small zuchinni and cut in half, lengthwise. 2 skinless / boneless chicken breasts, 1 T. of Italian herb seasoning {we used fresh and it's the best}, 19 oz. frozen cheese tortellini, 7 oz. refrigerated pesto {in with the pasta that's refrigerated}, 1 can of petite diced Italian herb tomatoes, and fresh parmesan cheese to top.

Fire up the grill and roast the zuchinni and chicken with olive oil + seasonings. Grill zuch 8 minutes and chicken 12 total. Prep tortellini {as directed} Coarsely chop chicken and zuch, tossing with tortellini, pesto and tomatoes. Serve while warm... now I do not scarf my food down, normally I'm a picker and I push it around my plate, but I scarfed this down! So good y'all!!


For dessert, a sweet pound cake inspired by my favorite seasonal fruit - Key limes!
My favorite pie to make is Key lime so I knew this would be a winner " Key Lime Pound Cake"
Now, I made this into 14 small bundt pans and dressed them up for individuals, but you can make a standard size bundt cake that feeds approx.12.

So, grab 1+1/2 C. butter, 3 C. sugar, 6 large eggs, 3 C all purpose flour, 1/2 t. baking powder, 1/8 t. salt, 1 C. milk, 1 t.vanilla extract, 1 t. lime zest and 1/4 C. fresh Key lime juice. After that all is said + done, you're going to make a glaze that will blow your lid!
 Grab the KitchenAid mixer and whip your butter up after you let it soften. Add in sugar, gradually beating at medium until light+fluffy. Add 6 eggs, one at a time while still mixing {gotta love those KitchenAid mixers!} In a different bowl, stir all your dry ingredients together and alternate adding to the mixing bowl with the milk. End with the flour. And careful how fast you add the milk, we got a little sloshy! Near the end, add in the vanilla, lime zest {and I always add a bit more because I like the *tart* factor}, and the fresh Key lime juice.
Pour batter into lightly greased pan {used Pam spray} and bake at 325. Now, set the timer for 1 hour + 20 minutes in you're baking in a bundt pan {large} and 30 minutes in you're doing in the baby bundt pans.
They pop out really easily, and let them cool on a wire rack.
To make your glaze {and be ready to drizzle a.s.a.p} add 1 C. of confectionars sugar, 1/2 t. vanilla extract + fresh Key lime juice (2T.) It should be a bit of a milky consistency, so whisk it together and drizzle over cake. I added a wedge of lime just for pretty's sake! Your mouth will ''mmmmm" with that first bite! A glass of milk never hurts either ;)

Alright, well it's time for dessert y'all! Be thankful I shared a recipe, make that two! I probably won't ever do it again ;)

Happy Eatings!

b

Whirling Dirvish

Hey Y'all

It's the end of the weekend and I just wanted to share my whereabouts as of late. I've contemplated about how best to blog this for a little bit, and so here it is:

On May 31 I lost my job as a private nanny, which was really a blessing because I was just sticking with it until a better opportunity presented itself.
 And, well, it did.
Although it didn't seem much of an opportunity or blessing at the time, with the support of Handsome Man, my family and best friends, I began to see the silver lining.
Within 48 hours of being unemployed, I had made the decision to move home to my "soft landing spot" at my parents home, 2 and 1/2 hours from my "city home" with Handsome Man and all of our friends, our church, and our social lives.
My furniture was up on Craigslist and sold within three days. The parents and Handsome Man were there on the weekend to move me back to my childhood home.
Although life was a whirlwind and I'm now a statistic in the unemployment rate, I couldn't help but be grateful for sticking with a job that I loathed, and only losing the job due to the ..ahem ... eccentric and unreliable nature of the family {4 nannies, now make that 5, in 2 years ... I don't think the nannies are the problem!!!}


What God will show me in the time I have ahead of me, is a mystery. I'm learning to have faith, more than ever before. And to take each day as it comes. All I can do, is have faith and take the step to do the next right thing.
I'm taking the time to save while having low overhead costs {THANK YOU M&L!!}, to dig deeper into my talents and am able to be more selective in my job hunt. I have hopes of returning "soon" {relative term} to my "city home" and landing a job that I will truly enjoy because I was able to be choosy. I'm excited to be given the chance to work on myself, inside and out, my relationships with family and friends now here in my childhood town, and to see what amazing things will come from this move.

I'm also working on writing content for my website to launch and promote my "dream business" of designing and coordinating special events. A few months back I landed on the name "Sugar Bean" - which is a combination of 2 special nicknames from some quite amazing people in my life - "Shug" or "Sugar" is what my Mama B {grandma} has always affectionately called me. And the "Bean" is a nickname among my closest friend and Handsome Man.
I officially own a website domain name and now I'm working on getting all the pieces together, from photos to web content, bio's and such ... all in a place where it can be pretty and functional!
My hope is to begin working with family + friends designing events {birthday parties, luncheons, meetings, socials, weddings, showers, etc} in my "city home" and my "childhood home" :)
The next big goal is the 5 yr plan, where I hope to be making a decent income from designing and coordinating events from the Panhandle to Central Florida. Call me crazy, but I believe in dreaming big.Over the years, I've seen where my talents emerge and I am so thankful that I have been given the inspiration to use them as a launching point for a career.

As I get more settled here at home, I'll begin a few projects ... the few pieces of furniture that did make the move will be needing a facelift soon, and I finally have a garage and yard to work in! And tools, galore! Hope you will check back and see where I'm headed! Even I don't know where that is, it's kinda fun :)

xoxo
b