*Mothers Day 2010*

Mothers Day was so special for me this year! My little brother was here from Oregon and i was able to have brunch with some of our closest friends out here, as well. Here's the day in pictures!
Kell and lil Muffin


Lil Muffin LOVES southern food, and some day will kill me for taking this picture!
Notice the tervais tumbler sitting next to her at the table- that was one of her gifts to me that she insisted on using @ brunch-

Aw... my mini me- i'm pretty sure we paid over 25 dollars for her to eat biscuits and a pound of butter!

For all of you that have seen family pictures of us growing up, you would know that my brother ALWAYS wrecked the pictures doing stupid things.. some things NEVER change! ps- since when did mini me start posing it up so hard?! LOL-

This picture is so my brother- if you've seen any of Jim Carr**s movies, you've

basically met my brother. SAME sense of humor!

This ugly blue thing is the best invention.. EVER! and one of my gifts- its one of those HUGE beach towels that

drapes over the lounge chair and has pockets to put all of your stuff in.. then rolls up into

a bag when you're done. GENIUS! BB& B has them.. watch for coupons to get them 20% off!

You all know how i LOVE to cook!!!! I saw this cookbook in a magazine a few months back and KNEW i had to have it! ... GOT IT ;) Many neighbors, teachers and bus drivers have ALREADY reaped the benefits of this cookbook - i made them a fun candy that tastes like toffee, but is made with butter, brown sugar , chocolate chips and saltine crackers. Its crack!

Kelly gave me this cookbook- another fave- they are made by the Junior league and have GREAT southern recipes in them.. See, my nieghbors are SMART! they know if they buy me cook books, they get fed ;)

Yet, ANOTHER one ;) - Stacey gave this one to me.. just found a chicken appetizer that i have bought ingredients for. Baking is so soothing for me.. i love to have a ton of desserts made and then give it all away. Its the best feeling ever!

THIS plate below has to be my FAVE gift this year! We have some very special neighbors that the girls just adore! They garden with them, go swimming, he takes mini me around to find turkey tracks, explains science things to her, they do all the outdoorsy stuff. They took her to their church one night for "Dinner" and she made this special plate - one of those i'll have for years to come and i am obsessed with the green she used in it! She knows her mama well!

We finished the day off with pool time- i love that lil muffin is more independant. ! our pool has a kiddie section, she she just plays in there, and i dont have to get wet, its great! Add the cell phone with some tunes and you have a lil retreat ;)

Grits.. its whats for dinner ;)

One of my best friends bought me the Everyday Food magazine by Martha stewart- its little and comes once a month. This months by far is my fave! i searched high and low for the stinking recipe to give her credit and to no avail. The one i foudn that was the closest was from Southern living. This was SO flavorful! The family loved it! I loved that you poured the sauce over the grits. I like my grits creamy- dry is just.. GROSS!
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds unpeeled, medium-size raw shrimp
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 pound andouille sausage, diced
3/4 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup freshly grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
Asiago Grits
Garnish: chopped fresh chives
Preparation
Peel shrimp; devein, if desired.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add sausage, and cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add shrimp, and cook, stirring constantly, 3 to 5 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Remove shrimp and sausage mixture from skillet.

Add cream, broth, and wine to skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in cheese and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, 6 to 8 minutes or until cheese is melted. Stir in shrimp and sausage mixture. Serve over Asiago Grits. Garnish, if desired.


From Southern living, october 2007

..
Also from the Everyday food magazine, there is a recipe for Raspberry- Lemon Whoopie pies- i also searched for this recipe and found this posted by a Chelsea on Wegottaeat.com. She said its from the Everyday living magazine, so you're in luck ;)

These are SUPER EASY to make, yummy and perfect for Spring for a shower, party, or just for fun.

RASPBERRY-LEMON WHOOPIE PIES

from Everyday Food Magazine Add Ingredient Add Divider Ingredients
1 stick Butter (room temperature)
1 Cup Brown Sugar
3 tbsp Brown Sugar
1 tbsp Grated Lemon Zest
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Egg
2 1/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
3/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Coarse Salt
1 Cup Whole Milk
3/4 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Cup Fresh Raspberries Add Cooking Step Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter, 1 cup brown sugar, and lemon zest until light and creamy. Add vanilla and egg and beat to combine, scraping down bowl as needed. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk and ending with flour mixture (Scrape bowl as needed). Beat well to combine.
2. Drop batter in 2-tbsp mounds about 2 inches apart, onto two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until puffed and pale golden around edges, 17 to 19 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cakes cool completely on sheets on wire racks.
3. In a large bowl, whip cream and 3-tbsp brown sugar to soft peaks. In a small bowl, mash raspberries with a fork, then fold into whipped cream. Divide raspberry cream evenly among bottoms of half the cakes, then sandwich with remaining cakes.