This post contains affiliate links. I was one of those teenage vegetarians. Like many teenage girls, when I reached 13, I could no longer stomach the idea of eating an animal. Of course that didn’t last long, as my mom was a meat and potatoes kind of lady, so if I wanted to eat, I…
Orange & Herb Brined Turkey Breast
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. There I said it. I love Thanksgiving. I have the best childhood memories of this particular holiday. We usually spent it at my Grandma’s house, and we always feasted! Though she was born and lived much of her young life out west,(her birthday certificate lists her birth place as Indian…
Lemon Mead Sorbet
There is this a stretch on Route 151 in Nelson County Virginia that is lined with beautiful scenery, including vineyards, brewery’s and cidery’s. A few weeks ago when Jessica was here, we decided to do a tour. I live less than 20 minutes from this gorgeous area of Virginia, and often imbibe in the libations and…
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Now that our daughter is 5, we’ve hit total Halloween mania. We lucked out that in the neighborhood we moved to is also Halloween crazy! My daughter, as with many many other kids, is going to be Else this year. I planned ahead and bought the costume in July. I’m pretty proud of myself. Our…
Apple Roast Chicken
This week Jessica and I took a trip to Bold Rock Cidery in Nellysford, VA. This place is like Disney World for grown ups. It’s beautiful there and the cider is delicious! I have been hooked on their Virginia Draft for a while now, I can get it at my local grocery store. The fact…
Grilled Pineapple and Sweet Potato Stack
I have been longing to use my grill. It has been raining and raining and raining here. I think it was a “want what you can’t have situation” but, I fired up the grill the second I saw that first bit of sun peak out of the clouds that had been covering our little bit of…
Heritage Harvest Festival at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello
A few weekends ago, on a whim, a friend and I decided to go to the Heritage Harvest Festival at Monticello. And, well, wow, is all I can say. This festival was absolutely amazing, and was only $10! I had no idea about the scope of this festival. Next year I plan to attend every day,…
Broiled Tilapia with Dill and Roasted Tomatoes
The other day my daughter and I were at the grocery store and we passed by the fish counter. She went crazy, “mommy I want shrimp, I want fish, oh can we get those crab hands” Of course she meant crab claws, kids can be so cute sometimes. So out of respect for my “Eat it even if you don’t like it rule” I snagged two fish fillets.
A Tale of Two Bloody Marys
Yum Still looking for something to make with all those fresh summer tomatoes? Look no further! Jessica and I decided to make fresh tomato juice for the express purpose of creating the ultimate Bloody Mary- well 2 Bloody Mary’s actually. Because we are both still flush with fresh tomatoes, we knew we had to…
Love = Slow Cooker Whole 30 Pulled Pork
Yum Back in February I met a local Virginia author named Marietta McCarty. I was invited by a friend to an event she was doing for her new book called “The Philosopher’s Table: How to Start Your Philosophy Dinner Club – Monthly Conversation, Music, and Recipes.” Marietta is a philosopher, professor, author, and so much…