Hardwoods & Heirlooms

It has been absolutely nuts-o the last five days! Contractors finally came over and put our new precious hardwoods in, and I swear, it feels like we moved.

We ripped the carpets out ourselves which was painful. There ended up being this awful vinyl flooring under the carpets - I was so relieved to have it covered up by glowing hardwoods the next day!

The contractors were at our house for over 8 hours. I tried to work from home that day but it sounded like a construction zone - it was a headache.

But entirely worth it!

In the meantime, I was able to move a few of my grandmother's antiques into my house. She is moving into an assisted living home, and these beautiful pieces mean everything to me! It was so much work getting them loaded up, and moved into the the house, but I swear they are right where they are meant to be!

This book case is called a "lawyer's bookcase." The panels slide open and sit on top of the books, it's so fragile and unique. I filled it with her old books, dating bak to 1925.

By far my favorite piece though is the china cabinet. My grandmother kept all of her china in this for as long as I can remember (literally), it's adjusting comforatbaly to it's new home in my dining room. I also grabbed a bit her gold dinnerware glasses, all so fragile and delicate. They are so beautiful in the china cabinet- my heart is so thrilled.

Pete loves it too :)

What a week it has been. Hope you are all having a fabulous week - happy hump day!

XO

Taco Zucchinni Boats

Did the name of this dish get you? I am not sure what to call these... stuffed zucchini? Honestly, that's just not as much fun.

I have been searching for new recipes that I can 1. Make a large quantity to have leftovers for lunches, and 2. incorporate more veggies.

I am starting to sound like an adult. When did that happen??

This recipe is so fun and heats up so well the next day. AND, you don't have to feel guilty about it.. even though I am not a believer in feeling guilty after a meal ;)

There are so many different ways to stuff these. You can use ground sausage, ground beef, ground turkey.. you could even use no meat, and go with beans or just veggies and cheese.. so many options!

I went with ground turkey, I was in the mood for something a bit more lean.

You want several Zuchini, but however many you choose, multiply x2 because you are slicing them in half :)

Once you slice them in half, hot-dog style, you're going to take a spoon, and carve out the middle. You don't want to carve so much out that they are very thin, but you do want to create enough room for them to be stuffed.

I browned my ground turkey with an onion, and seasoned it with cumin, paprika, garlic, chili powder, salt & pepper.. I wanted it to resemble a taco filling. I then threw in a can of diced tomatoes, and a can of whole kernel sweet corn. And of course, you top it with lots and lots of cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Tip: mine turned out just a little tough, I like my Zucchini really tender. Try covering it with foil for the first 20 minutes with a table spoon of water in the bottom of your pan, and then uncovering for the last 10. This will steam the Zucchini while they cook, and make them really tender.

They turned out so good!

Apparently, Nelly liked them, too :) .....................

I think you are going to love this one! Is it just me or has this been a really long week? Like.. the week that just won't end. I am SO pumped for the hardwoods being installed in my house this weekend, and (hopefully) the cabinet reno. The updates are desperately needed and I can't wait to share before and afters!

We are so close to Friday.. I can almost taste it! 

XO

Full Recipe

1lb ground meat (sausage, turkey, ground beef, etc, but optional)

1tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flake

1 onion, minced

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can whole kernel sweet corn
Shredded Monterrey Jack cheese 

4 decent-sized Zucchini - sliced in half (making 8 boats)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Slice your zucchini, hot dog style down the middle, in half.

3. Brown your meat in a skillet over medium to high heat, add minced onion. Add seasonings.

4. Add tomatoes and corn, cook down for four to five minutes.

5. While meat is cooking, take a spoon and carve out the inside of the zucchini, creating a deep center leaving a 1/2 inch rim.
6. Spoon meat mixture into the carved zucchini. Top with shredded cheese.
7. Bake covered for 20 minutes, uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Sunday Biscuits & Gravy

I hope you all had a great weekend! Mine was so busy. We are having some minor renovations done on the house while simultaneously helping my 87 year old grandmother move into an assisted living home...... you can imagine the chaos :)

Saturday night after moving all day, my mom spent the night with me and we woke up Sunday morning and made biscuits and gravy. Now I can't take all the credit here, it is really my Mom's recipe.

It is the easiest biscuits & gravy you will ever make, I can promise you that.

You start out browning your ground sausage in a pan. I used my Dutch Oven because it browns the meat really well, and leaves the crusty brown bits on the bottom of the pan - which make your gravy the best.

Once you brown your sausage, throw about two to three teaspoons of flour over the sausage, mix it up real well and let it cook down for about 30 seconds.

Pour in about two cups of milk, ad let it cook down. When it starts to bubble, be sure to stir it so it doesn't stick. Stir all of those browned bits off the bottom of the pan to incorporate into the gravy.

Sprinkle in a generous portion of salt and pepper... (heavy on the pepper) and once the gravy is nice and thick, spoon it over your favorite biscuits.

I cheated and used frozen ones :)

SO easy! Who knew all you needed for a good sausage gravy is sausage, flour, and milk?? it was great news to me.

This weekend I moved my Granny's ancient baker's rack into my kitchen, along with some of her cookbooks from the 1930s. It is absolutely magical having such an old beautiful antique piece right in my kitchen, especially with such sentimental value. I love it so much.

We have so much happening at our house this week, from hardwoods to new appliances, it's so exciting. Can't wait to share the before and afters! Also, I tried several new recipes this week.. a few of which I am so excited to per-fect and share.. Happy Tuesday!

XO

Weekend Snapshots: Red, White, & Blue

I hope everyone had an awesome fourth of July! Mine was filled with so much family and food, I think it was the best one yet.

I kicked off the weekend with Emily Giffin’s Atlanta book signing and launch event for her new novel, First Comes Love. It was so cool.

I brought my Mom with me, and we had so much fun together! When we walked in there was a little wine bar and First Edition copies of the book. They had these beautiful gift bags in each chair with copies of her previous novel, Something Blue and free perfume and beauty samples!

Aren't her books the prettiest?

We got to hear Emily speak about her book and about her life as an author. I have followed her since her first book, Something Borrowed (also a feature film) debuted, and being able to attend this even in her hometown was amazing. I can’t wait to attend the next in Woodstock in August!

Photo by MJCCA Atlanta

I am a few chapters into First Comes Love, it is so good ya’ll. You have to pick this one up.

Saturday night I decided to whip up a red  velvet cake, I was feeling festive. Perfect for the red, white, and blue theme of the holiday, right? It turned out so good.

I realize it’s kind of pink, white, and blue.. but you get the point ;)

p.s.. cake decorating is not my clame to fame. I will however, be posting this red velvet cake recipe ASAP... it's pretty much the greatest cake ever.

The pups had a blast at my mom’s, we spent so much time letting them run in the backyard. We went to a beautiful BBQ on Monday. SO much food, and the cold blue pool water, it was absolutely perfect!

Nothing says summer like fresh watermelon, burgers on the grill, toes in the grass, and red, white & blue to celebrate the holiday. It was so wonderful I am so sad it's over!

How are we already halfway through the summer? More summer fun where this came from, stand by ;)

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend!

XO