Everyday Living

Coffee Table Talk: Espresso & Red Velvet Fudge

~ Christmas, Decorating, Food & Entertaining, Recipes

“”Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭1:23‬ ‭

It truly is “the most wonderful time of the year” because we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, Immanuel, God with us.  He is the reason for the season!  I love so many things about Christmas…a festive home…Christmas carols…twinkling lights…baking goodies…and of course, eating those goodies!  My apron is on and I have been baking away in the kitchen.  Our favorite treats are a mainstay each year, and I usually add a new recipe or two, just to give the taste buds a little variety!  As I was thumbing through Southern Lady Magazine, my eyes were drawn to a recipe for Red Velvet Cream Cheese Fudge.  I’ll give you a second to let that sink in…ok, now where were we?  Oh yes, the Red Velvet Cream Cheese Fudge I saw in Southern Lady!  It sounded so good, I knew I had to try!  The taste-tester extraordinaire gave it a big thumbs up and a 5 star approval rating.  So, I think we’ve found a keeper!  The sweet fudge paired with an espresso was a perfect combination to serve on the coffee table on a cold wintry day!  Pull up a chair, I have an espresso waiting just for you!

 
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I have thoroughly enjoyed my Nespresso machine.  It makes fabulous lattes, cappuccinos, and espressos.  I hate to admit it, but I have become a coffee snob!  Life is short, there is no need to drink bad coffee!
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When Southern Meets Italian

~ Autumn, Food & Entertaining, Recipes

“As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭27:19‬ ‭

In the South, we know a thing or two about comfort food.  Mashed potatoes, turkey and dressing, and don’t forget the chicken and dumplins!  There’s nothing quite like a big plate of comfort to meet you just before that Sunday nap!  But do you know who else knows about comfort food?  The Italians!  We took their signature dish, pasta, and made it into a vegetable in the South…mac ‘n cheese!  

 Our favorite family times are centered around the table and food.  We have been known to sit for hours long after a meal is finished to enjoy conversation.  Just this past Sunday, we had a time of sharing our hearts after a wonderful meal that my sister-in-law prepared.  It’s nice to sit amongst the sweetest fellowship with nothing else fighting for my time and attention!  

Rome, Italy carries a sweet memory for me in the way of food and fellowship!  Many years ago, I gathered with a group of friends in a very crowded restaurant…wonderful Italian food, the best conversation and no feelings of being rushed by the staff..but were even encouraged to linger!  How rare is that?!

Butch and I love Italian food, coming in right behind our favorite…the wonderful food of our South!  So I decided to mix the perfect taste of the autumn pumpkin into Southern cornbread and Italian ravioli.  Today, let’s discover what happens when Southern meets Italian!

 
There is not a pasta that I do not like…ravioli just happens to be a favorite!  This particular kind is filled with pumpkin…making it the perfect dish for autumn!


The original recipe called for hazelnuts, but in the South our preferred nut is the pecan.  Toasting them brings out their natural flavor!

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The Nitty Gritty of Grits

~ Food & Entertaining, Recipes

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:12‬ ‭

There has been much debate on grits, the humble food of my Southern childhood.  What are they made from…is it corn?  Do you butter them or top them off with a little sugar?  Instant?  Quick?  Stone ground?  Even the Italians have chimed in, and they call it something completely different…polenta!  Whatever the case may be, I know one thing…grits have reached rock star status in the world of food! Today, let’s get down to the nitty gritty of grits…

Growing up in the Deep South, my Mother made a traditional breakfast every morning…home-made biscuits, bacon or sausage, scrambled eggs, and you guessed it…grits!  But as a child, I would rather scrape the grits off into the garbage can than have to eat them.  And even after I married, I prepared them for my grits-loving husband, but still rarely ate them!  But through the years I gradually started to love and appreciate the food that all good southerners should love.  


 Shrimp and grits became one of my favorites on any menu while vacationing along the beaches of the Gulf Coast!  And when visiting our good friends Patti and Mike in Raleigh, I always looked forward to Mike’s famous sausage grits…which still receive rave reviews from all their friends and family!  I began to see all the well respected chefs in the South slowly adding grits to their menus…no longer a humble breakfast food!  It was on dinner menus and not just in the South!

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