Celebrating the 4th in Style

Happy Independence Day (tomorrow)!

Isn't this a fun holiday? I love the colors, the food, the activities, and the drinks. It's all fun, and it's all patriotic. I also have to mention how important it is, while grilling, eating, and having a great time, that we remember the reason for this fun holiday. It is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from Great Britain. And as much as I love the royal family, I sure am grateful for that!

All American Progressive Dinner: Jalapeno Pimento Cheeseburgers

Summer is just around the corner, which means Memorial Day is upon us. Can you believe it? And Memorial Day means picnics, swimming, grilling, fireworks, and relaxing. Those are pretty much all of the best summer activities all rolled into one day!

If you're trying to plan a Memorial Day menu (or haven't even thought about it yet), we are here to save the day! I've teamed up with Jaelan from Making Mrs. M and Olivia from Snyders Tell All to bring you an All American Progressive Dinner! So get your pen and paper ready for your grocery list, and prepare for a major drool-fest...

My leg of the progressive dinner was the entree. There are so many options out there that would be wonderful, but really, what says "AMERICA" more than a classic cheeseburger?

To pump it up a notch, I decided to make some jalapeno pimento cheese for a kick. And let me assure you, it did not disappoint! 

Let's get started by making the pimento cheese.


Ingredients:

• 2 cups extra sharp Cheddar cheese
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (trust me, use Duke's)
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
• 4 oz. diced pimentos (drained)
• 1 small (seeded) minced jalapeno
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

• Put all ingredients, except the salt and pepper, into a large bowl and blend with a mixer or by hand. If mixing by hand, be sure to press down on the cream cheese to be certain it gets incorporated evenly.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• That's it. Seriously.

The rest of the recipe is simple - just grill your burgers using your favorite seasonings (we went with salt, pepper, and garlic powder so we didn't steal the pimento cheese's thunder), and add toppings as you like. Lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, mustard, ketchup...get creative and add some bacon, sauteed mushrooms, potato chips, whatever you want! The world (burger) is your oyster.

Here is how mine turned out. It was really messy to eat, but aren't all of the yummiest things? It was husband, sister-in-law, and brother-in-law approved.

What do you think? Do you have any Memorial Day recipes that you love?


Be sure to hop over to see Jaelan's homemade vanilla ice cream and apple crumble pie (droooool) and Olivia's Red, White, & Blue drink AND a bonus second drink recipe, a Beerita!!



Until next time - - 

DIY: Refurbished Front Porch Light

So, two years ago (almost to the day), Spencer and I purchased our first home. It was super exciting to have a place to play around with paint and decor! The possibilities of projects around the house made my head spin (in a good way), and it seems that once one project is complete, another takes its place. Can you relate (please, tell me I'm not the only one...)?

Well, one of these projects that I swore I would take care of ASAP, just got finished. As in, this past weekend. 

The front porch light.

It was white plastic, and I'm sure was original to the home. It was dirty (I know, I could have cleaned it), and finally the bulb burned out. Well, instead of replacing the bulb, I used it as motivation to get this little project done. It only took another two months after that :) . Better late than never, right?

This is the poor little guy we started with. So sad. Womp, womp...

 Gross, right???

Well, my sister-in-law gave me the front porch light from her old house. It is MUCH better, but being brass, just didn't match.

 So, like any thrifty DIY-er would do, I dug up some spray paint from the garage cabinet, paint-taped (is that a verb?) that snot out of it, and got to spraying! But, um, problem. Because there always has to be a problem. My brain was on vacation that day, and I forgot to tape off a very important part. The open bottom. Duh. So when I began spraying...yep, you guessed it. I sprayed the entire INSIDE of the glass. Just keepin' it real, y'all.

Nothing that a little (or a crap-ton - I know, also not a real adjective. Just work with me) elbow grease can't get off. I used a Brillo pad and kept right on rolling, pretending it never happened.

Finally, I helped my handy (and handsome) hubby install it. And by "help," I mean I stood at the bottom of the ladder and took pictures. You're welcome, babe.

And, voila! Much better, no?

What DIY projects do you keep putting off?



Until next time - - 

Krispy Eggs: An Easter Treat

Happy Monday!

It's good to be back. Sorry for leaving you hanging last week. Things have been really busy around here, but thanks for sticking with me.

Can you believe it's almost April? I feel like March never actually happened. Where is the time going!?

With the arrival of April, means Easter is around the corner. I love Easter. Pastel colors, egg hunts, a delicious lunch, and most of all, the meaning behind the holiday.

This year, Spencer and I will be going to see my family in eastern Tennessee. Saturday will be spent watching the kids race for eggs, eating great food, wonderful fellowship, hugs, laughter, and sadly missing my Aunt Linda. This will be the first gathering since her service in February, and I expect it will be a little bittersweet. 

Since we are traveling, I have signed up to take sweet and unsweet tea (who actually drinks the unsweet? C'mon. You're doing it wrong) which requires zero temperature control needs. Guess what else? We will be eating lamb. Lamb! One of my very favorite foods, but unfortunately don't have often since it's kind of pricey. I hope nobody else wants any, because I might sneak it away into a remote corner and devour it in secret. Shhh.

Another Easter food favorite? Deviled eggs. I know there are many creative takes on the popular finger-food, but I must say, I'm a big fan of the classic deviled egg. Also, I wonder how they got their name. Any ideas?

Speaking of eggs, I think I might make a "surprise" dessert to take to TN with us. I say "surprise" because some of my family members read this blog. Really, though, it's just an excuse to make (and eat) rice krispie treats.

This recipe is from The Pioneer Woman, who I adore and like to pretend I am BFF's with. Is that weird? I don't think so either. You can find the original recipe here.


Krispy Easter Eggs
Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 5 Minutes Difficulty: Easy Servings: 12


Ingredients:

• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 package (10 Ounces) Mini Marshmallows
• 6 cups Rice Krispies
•  Assorted Sprinkles
•  Small Chocolate Easter Eggs
•  Plastic Easter Eggs

Directions:

• In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until melted. 
• Remove from heat, then add rice cereal and stir until well coated.
• Lightly spray interior of the plastic eggs with non-stick cooking spray. If mixture is too sticky, you can also spray your hands. 
• Fill both sides of the plastic egg with rice cereal mixture, slightly over-filling one side. 
• Press chocolate egg in the center on one side of the egg, then close the plastic egg to shape it. (It should be full enough to meet with a little resistance as you close it.) 
• Gently release the rice cereal egg from the mold, decorate with your choice of sprinkles and set aside in egg crate until set.

Can I get an "amen!"?

Until next time - - 

Mexican Progressive Dinner: Frozen Margarita Pie

If you missed the first two posts in the Progressive Dinner I'm doing with Christine from The So-Called Homemaker, click here to see the Black Bean & Goat Cheese Appetizer Recipe, and here to see Christine's Chicken & Black Bean Enchiladas. Yum!!

Today, we're finishing up our dinner with dessert and a cocktail, naturally. Keep reading to see my Frozen Margarita Pie, and when you're finished, be sure to click over and check out Christine's Pineapple Margarita recipe!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups lightly packed small white marshmallows
• 2/3 cup half and half
• 1 tsp grated lime peel
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 cup tequila (I used Margaritaville Tequila Silver)
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 1/2 tbsp white granulated sugar
• Store bought chocolate or Oreo pie crust
• (Or make your own crust by grinding 20 thin chocolate wafer cookies in a food processor, and adding 2 tbsp melted butter to the crumbs. Put the mixture into a pie dish and use your fingers to press it down around the bottom and edges of the dish.)

Directions:

• In a pot, melt the marshmallows and half and half together until smooth.
• After the mixture is melted, nest the pot into a bowl of ice water and stir often until cool.
• Once cooled, add the lime peel, juice, and tequila and stir occasionally until the entire mixture is cold.
• In another bowl, combine the whipping cream with the granulated sugar, and with a mixer, whip until the cream thickens and forms soft peaks. 
• Pour the cream and sugar mixture into the cooled pot, and fold together until well mixed.
• Pour the entire filling into the pie crust, and freeze (uncovered) for about an hour or until the center is firm to the touch. Then add the lid or wrap in plastic wrap and freeze until solid (at least 2 more hours, but I froze overnight).
• Before slicing, let the pie sit approximately 10 minutes so it can soften slightly.
• Eat plain, or add whipped cream and chocolate syrup like I did! Either way, it's delicious (trust me, I tried it both ways). :)

What other Mexican inspired desserts do you like, or would you love to try?

Don't forget to check out Christine's Pineapple Margarita recipe here!

Until next time - - 

Mexican Progressive Dinner: Appetizer Quesadillas

I am beyond excited to be teaming up with Christine from The So-Called Homemaker to put together a virtual Mexican Progressive Dinner! Over the next two days, Christine and I will cover four recipes for you to create a delicious and fun fiesta!

Today, I'm kicking off the dinner with an appetizer: Black Bean & Goat Cheese Quesadillas. The beauty of dishes like this one is that if there is an ingredient that you aren't fond of, you can either replace it with something else or leave it out altogether! It's so easy to customize to your own taste. 

(Be sure to follow the link at the end of this post to see Christine's entree recipe today!)

I'm sharing today the recipe I used.

Ingredients:

•  1 can (13.5 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 6 oz. goat cheese
• 1 medium tomato, chopped and seeded
• Kernels from 2 ears of corn
• 1/4 of a red onion, diced
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 6 inch corn tortillas

Directions:

• In a large bowl, mash the rinsed and drained black beans with a fork until about half are mashed and half are still whole. 
• Add the goat cheese, tomato, corn kernels, red onion, and cilantro to the bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and stir until the goat cheese is well incorporated with the other ingredients. The mixture will be very creamy, as you can see in this picture.

• Once the mixture is ready, heat a cast iron skillet or an electric griddle to medium heat. Spread the mixture onto a corn tortilla - use as much as you wish, but remember that the more filling they have, the harder they'll be to flip without filling falling out!
• Place another tortilla on top, and place in the pan.
• Once you begin to see grill marks appear on the bottom, flip it over to heat on the other side. It is finished when both sides have some grill marks, and the mixture inside is warm.
• Cut into wedges and serve warm!
• You can serve with a side of sour cream or salsa. We substituted sour cream with Greek yogurt, and it was delicious!

Be sure to head here and read all about the entree recipe from Christine: Chicken & Black Bean Enchiladas!



Until next time - - 

True or False: Iron Out Carpet Stains

As you remember, I started a new series called "True or False." If you missed the first post where I tested out cleaning up headlamps with toothpaste, you can see that here. 

The next test I had to try was ironing out carpet stains. I pinned this pin, and have been wanting to try it for myself. So, I did. 

(Side Note: no judging my dirty carpet, got it? If you do, we can't be friends)

My supplies:

• Windex (I used the clear Windex with vinegar, but the person in the pin used blue and said it worked fine)
• White cloth (you can use any color, but I wanted to see if the stains were being lifted)
• Iron (dry setting)

It's as easy as it sounds. First I located a mystery stain on my carpet...which in person was orange, but looks alarmingly brown in this photo (wasn't hard to do - please tell me I am not the one with carpet that has oodles of stains that seemingly appear overnight while we're sleeping. What on earth?!).

After squirting the stain generously with Windex, I placed the cloth over it and ironed as I would a piece of clothing (as in, not holding it in one spot to avoid scorching). 

Within 5-10 seconds, I could see color appearing on the cloth, in the shape of the stain underneath. Hmm...sure enough, when I lifted the cloth, voila! The stain was gone! It was absorbed into the cloth. Woohoo!

 

If you're anything like me, then you probably already guessed that I giddily flitted around my home, squiring and ironing anything I could find. 

Be aware. Two stains I could identify did not come out: ink and a paint drip. Can't blame a girl for trying.

Verdict:

TRUE (with exceptions)

New Series! True or False: Toothpaste for Clear Headlamps

In this age of Pinterest and Google, there are endless ideas, how-tos, and clever tricks for so many things. Many times I find myself reading these and thinking "I wonder if that really works. That is awesome!" I will Pin them, and never go back.

If you've wondered and done the same thing, then today is your lucky day! I am starting a new series called "True or False." In this series, I will test a cleaning trick, a quick fix, or a clever idea to see if it really works. If you ever see anything that you would like me to try, please send it to me!

Today's T/F comes POPSUGAR's list of Car Hacks.

According to the list, a little bit of toothpaste on a cloth can buff out residue and film from the headlamps on a car. This was particularly interesting to me because one of my headlamps is really cloudy! So I decided to give it a shot (all I have to lose is a bit of toothpaste - or maybe some headlamp film)!

First, I started by gathering my materials: toothpaste and a cloth. Check.

Then, I snapped a couple of "before" pictures to share.

With a dab of toothpaste on my cloth, I got to work. It took less buffing effort than I expected it to... 

Once I felt the stickiness of the toothpaste go away, I stopped buffing to check my results. Here is what I saw:

Do you see it? Look on the right side. It's so much less cloudy!

I finished up the whole thing, and took an after picture for comparison's sake. Also, I want to throw out that I edited no pictures in this post (other than to add text). I didn't adjust coloring or anything so that it showed the most accurate results. 

I was shocked at the difference! I've had this car for 2 years, and one headlamp has been cloudy the whole time. We tried washing, scrubbing, I looked at removing it to wipe out the inside...who knew that the solution was in my bathroom drawer the entire time!?

See the difference?

Verdict: 
TRUE


Until next time - -