Food Addict

Last weekend I was away for a girls spa/wine/eating/birthday weekend and it was so.much.fun!!  Our weekend kicked off at a spa in the heart of our wine country about an hour away.  When the girls showed up we had a breakfast bar all ready to go stocked with bloody marys, mimosas, and brunch.  I made yogurt parfait in a jar and now I cannot stop eating them

I layered greek yogurt, granola, fresh blackberries and agave nectar then repeated.  I am horrible with breakfast, usually my breakfast is a big cup of coffee, then by 10 I am so starving I will eat just about anything.  This past Sunday night I made a yogurt for each morning this week and this past Sunday I have also officially started an addiction.  Not only are they so tasty they will actually hold me over until lunch.

Friday night of our girls weekend we had a chef come out to our cottage to make dinner.  I am now completely jealous of an anyone that has a personal chef.  I really enjoy cooking but honestly night after night can get a little tiresome (and I probably only cook 3 nights a week)  Who wouldn't love to tell someone what they want to eat then hours later the entire spread is laid out for you.  

our appetizers

One of the side dishes the chef prepared was cheesy grits.  I have never had grits but all I can say is Oh My God they are so damn good.  Of course Sunday night at home we had cheesy grits with our dinner.  I made this recipe and it was almost as good as the chef's

So to counter act all my new food addictions I have promised the birthday girl to go to yoga with her

I have been dying to try this yoga studio for awhile now but I am kind of dead set on my current workout schedule,  I have my days scheduled perfectly and I am a creature of habit..... but a promise is a promise so off I go

I might need some new tops...

apparently in addition to being a food addict I am a shopping one too!!

Killin it in the Kitchen at Least

The kids are all settled back in school, hubby is happy at work, and as far as the kids go, I have been killin it in the kitchen this past week (which is a rare feet at my house)

Rarely do my kids finish what is on their plates, let alone ask for seconds so when I find a winner I have to share

Best Chili

 I am 100% convinced this chili is a winner because it has no beans, what is it about kids and beans?  Like oil and water, don't mix.

Cheesy Mashed Potato Cakes

my kids asked for thirds, enough said!!

Manicotti

sometimes the best recipes are right on the box.



and I have finally found the easiest breakfast for my kids

Pumpkin Muffins

take a box of yellow cake mix, add 1 can of pumpkin puree, mix, spoon into muffin tins and bake for 25 mins at 350.

How easy is that!!

Scenes from my Weekend

My weekends of travel are officially over until Christmas!!  Despite the crazy weather we had in this part of the country, we had a great weekend.  

Thursday I was planning on spending the day at Silver Dollar City but it just poured and poured and poured so we came up with plan B, a rodeo

Dolly Parton (yes, you read that right) has a rodeo in Branson

She owns some of the biggest, most beautiful horses I have ever seen

Of course no photos in the rodeo, but it was really a great show.  It was a Christmas show with Santa so I think it softened the blow for my girls who were so disappointed we never made it to Silver Dollar City.

I am in LOVE with the bathroom sink, it looks like a watering trough and would be perfect in my laundry room

Friday I made it back to the Lou just in time for dinner

Saturday was my little staycation with some friends, we started with a food tour of the Central West End.

We stopped by 5 restaurants for a sampling of their best dish and best cocktail

Dressel's Public House 

I love this place, it has the first urban garden

and the cutest gift shop

Cafe Osage 

Pi Pizza 

Bar Italia

and our last stop

Bissinger's Chocolate

Once we were stuffed it was off to the spa

after we were all feeling refreshed we grabbed a coffee and did a little shopping

At this point we were FREEZING, I cannot even begin to tell you how cold it was on Saturday.  I hope this is no indication of the winter we have ahead of us.  We decided  the best thing to do was to warm up at the Whiskey House

cheers to girlfriends, birthdays, and great weekends!!

Girl Friday

This weekend involves a lot of friends and a lot of food....my kind of weekend!!

Tonight we are out with 3 other couples

Saturday downtown, Taste of St Louis.  All the top restaurants will have booths where you can sample their best dishes.  I love me a good street fair!!

Saturday night, I am breaking in my friends new house and pool

I am thinking of making this as my appetizer

and then on Sunday after a morning of paddle boarding

I am having my family over for Sunday night dinner

Have a beautiful weekend!!

Girl Friday

We are starting off our weekend with cocktails with friends...

and then dinner at one of the newest spots in town...

Saturday it is divide and conquer.

The boys have a father/son day with his school...

so I have a day planned with my girls...

a mother/daughter day of pampering

After the spa I am taking the girls to get their hair braided...

then we are off to dinner...

Sunday I am having my parents and in laws over for dinner.  Thanks to pinterest I am serving this...

 
or maybe this..

or

bon weekend mes amies!!

The Pie That'll Make You Cry!

Ohh, I already like the sound of that!! This year for Thanksgiving we are going to my older sister's home for dinner. This year I am in charge of desserts. I like to go the traditional route, pumpkin and pecan pies. I found this pecan pie recipe here.

Oh my, I just gained 10 pounds blogging about this!

As promised, here are the recipes from my class on Sunday. Happy Baking

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

3 c flour

1 tsp salt

1tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking salt

2T ground cinnamon

1T ginger

1T ground cloves

2 c brown sugar

1 c oil

3 c pumpkin, chilled

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

preheat oven to 350, line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a bowl whisk flour, salt, baking powder, baking salt, cinnamon, ginger,and cloves. Set aside. In another bowl mix sugar and oil until blended. Add pumpkin, eggs and vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture with the pumpkin mixture.

Using a small ice cream scoop, drop dough on cookie sheet and bake about 15 minutes.

For the filling:

3 c powder sugar

1 stick of butter, room temp

8 oz cream cheese

1 tsp vanilla.

Cream all the ingredients together until smooth.

Once the cookies have cooled spread icing on cookie and make a "sandwich".

Chocolate Whoopie Pie

2 c flour

1 c coco powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 stick of butter, melted

1 c sugar

1 egg yolk

1/2 c hot water

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 c buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

combine all ingredients until smooth, using a small ice cream scoop portion dough on a lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes

Use the same filling recipe as above but we experimented with the filling. Here were some of the things that we added to the filling for a different taste

1c peanut butter. (loved this, it tasted like a reese pieces)

1/2 c raspberry jam

1 T peppermint extract and 1/2 c crushed peppermint candies

1/2 c espresso

you can really add anything to the cream. The measurements for the add ons to the filling are not exact. You can add them to taste. These were the 4 we made in class and they were all so yummy with the chocolate cookie.

Enjoy

Sweet tooth

Whenever I have a sweet tooth, I like to whip up a batch of these chocolate chip muffins. I think the fact that it says 100% whole grain on the box has convinced me these are actually good for me!!

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