Day 4: The Beach (finally) & The Glass Onion

You may be wondering about now why we even bother to go to the beach when it took 4 days to even step foot on it.  That's a good question.  Really, we're perfectly content with a pool, the sun, and good restaurants!  Apparently our boys feel the same way because neither of them have been enamored with the sand or ocean.

Colin almost refuses to get in the water now because he's been smacked in the face one too many times by a wave crashing in and Sawyer didn't even want to be held while someone else's feet touched the water.  I guess one time a year isn't enough to get them acclimated. 

Colin did like the sand this time and was excited to build a sandcastle.  That involved a lot of direction from Mommy.  I tried to find him a little friend, and I did, but the kid was more interested in the water than building.  Colin tried, bless his heart, but in the end it was just he and I slaving away.

Meanwhile, this is what Sawyer thought of the beach.

And then Wes decided to get a little more comfortable.  Be sure you notice the shoe in the picture above!

*****

Tonight's dinner was at The Glass Onion.  I loved all the places we ate down there but this was one of my favorites for sure.  It's off the beaten path and I venture to guess that most tourists don't know it exists.  My Charleston friend was surprised I had heard about it.  Ha!  Me?  Research much?

They bill themselves as a fresh, as local as possible, Southern-style cooking restaurant.  The way your grandmother might have cooked (if you were lucky) with very modest price tags.  Like I said, the tourists don't know about it so it doesn't have the tourist price tags.

We ate here on Tuesday so that Wes could take advantage of their fried chicken dinner special.  This has gotten so popular that you can now reserve your chicken!  Apparently once it's gone, it's gone, so this guarantees you some delicious chicken.  Plus, it's brined in buttermilk for 24 hours, so it's not like they can just get some more.

They were kind enough to advise us to get an appetizer to tide us over while we waited for the chicken.  Wes ordered the pickle sampler and my mom got a "fresh from the garden" salad.  The pickle sampler consisted of pickles (obviously), pickled okra, dilly beans, and 1 carrot.  They were slightly spicy but very tasty.  I love the beans, Wes loved the okra.  It would convert any non-okra lover, I'm pretty sure.

Mom's salad tasted like they had just plucked the bibb lettuce after she placed her order.  They didn't though because Colin and I walked around back to see if they had a garden and they did not.  It had some of the same pickled vegetables on it and was lightly tossed in a vinaigrette.

Colin's food arrived early as well and he had his fried shrimp eaten before Wes could finish his pickles!  Colin learned that he loves shrimp!

Did I mention the portions were large?  Our entrees arrived and we all realized we would never be able to eat all of that food.  Wes' fried chicken was a huge breast and maybe a wing or thigh, mashed potatoes, and collard greens.  One thing is for sure, Wes is a fried chicken expert.  If he says it's good, it's good.  Period.  And he said this was really good!  The sides were great too.

I ordered the Crispy Fried Eggplant with Blue Crab Creole.  Sometimes an entree description makes the dish sound better than it really is.  This dish was the exact opposite.  The description sounds good enough but the actual dish was far superior.  It was 4 or 5 large eggplant rounds, breaded and fried, topped (generously) with a corn relish, studded with blue crab claw meat.  The eggplant was crisp and flavorful, which is saying something considering eggplant tends to be somewhat tasteless in my opinion, but the corn salad concoction was fantastic.  As my stomach began to fill up, I knew I was going to have to make a decision as to what I wanted my last couple of bites to be.  I scraped all the corn mixture off and gobbled it up.

This place is a diamond in the rough.  I am SO glad I searched this place out and followed through with it.  There was a moment when I was nervous about it, fearing I had made the wrong choice.  Not so.  This will go on our permanent list of restaurants for Charleston.  I can only hope it remains low on the radar and thus, a hidden bargain!

Day 3: Husk

One minor detail I left out about Day 2 was our dinner.  We ate at one of the only restaurants on Isle of Palms, The Boathouse.  While it was tasty and the service was good, it was over-priced and under proportioned.  We paid more there and got less food than any other stop on our travels.  It satisfied our appetites but would not be a place I'd rush back to.  I will mention that their "award-winning" greens were actually award worthy.  We tried multiple iterations on our trip and these remained at the top of our list.

The highlight of the night was Colin and his manners.  We had reservations at 5:45 but we got there early, hoping they could go ahead and seat us.  Even though the restaurant had numerous empty tables, we were given a pager and told we'd have to wait until our allotted time.  Oddly enough, many other patrons (without reservations) were seated right away.  We found this to be a very odd practice but it allowed Colin the chance to show his Southern charm.

Totally unprompted, he took it upon himself to be the door greeter for the numerous guests as they entered the restaurant.  He held the door for what seemed like 30 minutes, watching each guest as the entered.  Interestingly enough, the majority of compliments and comments came from the male species.  I guess women are just used to chivalry but the men thought it was something special.  He loved his duties and wanted to repeat them at each restaurant we went to.

On to our much anticipated visit to Husk.  A brief background on Husk for those of you that might not be aware.  Husk is the newest offering James Beard Award-winning Chef Sean Brock of McCrady's.  It's one of the many to jump on the "farm to table" approach sweeping the culinary world as of late.  Husk attempts to take traditional Lowcountry fare and jazz them up, if you will, with a modern flare.  To say we were looking forward to this meal would be an understatement!  My Charleston friend asked how we managed to get reservations and I laughed because she obviously had forgotten my anal ways of planning months in advance!

One point worth mentioning, I specifically asked if the restaurant was kid-friendly and I received a resounding, "yes" but upon arrival, we quickly found out differently.  Lucky for us, Colin is a great eater and was able to make a meal off of our dinners and a few extra side dishes because there was no kids menu, nor was the staff willing to create anything different than what was on the menu.  I realize they are certainly not hurting for business and don't need my marketing strategies but in my opinion, it would behoove them to at least try to be a little more accommodating.  After all, Charleston is a touristy spot that many families visit year round.   

That one little nuance aside, the meal was most enjoyable.  Both the exterior and the interior of the restaurant exuded Southern charm.  With a double-decker front porch, inviting chairs and rockers, and a huge shade tree, we felt right at home (yeah, if only our house looked like this!).

The inside was much of the same, old fireplaces, reclaimed hardwood floors, and what appeared to be stone ground grits with gourd stems as table decorations.  There was even a sprouting sweet potato in a vase as decoration.  That one confused Colin a bit.

The meal started with fresh baked rolls topped with benne seeds and served with bacon fat butter!  Yes, you read that right, they use 1/2 butter and 1/2 bacon grease to make the spread.  My mom passed, I had to try it but quickly passed, and Wes, of course, loved it (loving all things bacon).

Perhaps the highlight of Wes' dinner was the watermelon soup.  Not one to typically order soup or anything fruity, I was quite shocked with his selection.  The soup was garnished with a crab salad of sorts and while that was tasty in it's own right, the soup was exceptional.  The sweetness was subtle, but still present in the background.  In the foreground was the taste of the garden.  Somehow they had pureed all the summertime goodness and poured it into a soup.  Imagine a gazpacho soup of sorts with a hint of sweetness.  The crab actually took a backseat to the soup.

My first course was a nod to my late grandmother, a beet salad.  Granny loved her beets and ate them almost daily.  In an effort to repeat her longevity, I've decided beets might be the secret weapon.  The salad was topped with bleu cheese crumbles, roasted peanuts, and a country ham vinaigrette.  The country ham really only manifested itself in the saltiness of the dressing - not in a bad way though.  The combination was reminiscent of wilted salad, if you're familiar with that.  It was both tasty and large enough that I was able to share with Colin.

Our second courses came promptly after that.  All 3 of our dinners were impressive but I was glad I had ordered what I did, the Cornmeal Dusted NC Catfish.  It was served atop a bed of corn and field peas and topped with smoked or charred okra.  The fish was perfectly cooked and seasoned but the highlight was the corn and pea succotash underneath.  I could have eaten my weight in it.  I'm sure it was laced with cream and buttery goodness but one probably shouldn't be counting calories in a restaurant of this caliber.

My mom ordered the Red Snapper with Creamy Heirloom Squash and Zucchini, finished with a Citrus Butter.  The skin was left on the snapper, giving it a crispy, crunchy texture.  I happen to love fish prepared this way, assuming it's prepared correctly and this one was.  The vegetable medley underneath was also tasty but again, that citrus butter made it shine.  Oh butter, I love you.

Wes kindly ordered the Wood Fired Chicken with Butter Beans and Benton's Braised Greens, so that he and Colin could share.  Colin could not get enough of the chicken, much to Wes' dismay.  Wes spent most of the meal trying to figure out how they were able to infuse such a smoky taste into the meat.  It wasn't a traditional smoky taste, which added to his confusion.  The greens were good but The Boathouse tops my list of greens.

For dessert, my mom and I opted to go to Kaminsky's (a disappointment in the end), while Wes and Colin decided to split a dessert at Husk.  I can't remember the fancy name but it was basically chocolate and peanut butter mousse with chocolate cookie crumbles.  Wes may have gotten 5 bites before Colin inhaled the rest.  Colin later told me that he loves mousse now, however I'm pretty sure he thought it was moose.

Husk is doing things right.  The one thing about Charleston is that the chefs are always trying to one up each other.  That means we benefit as consumers.  Charleston is definitely a foodie town.  A town that I love because of it!

Colin's Pizzeria

This was the first birthday that Colin had a legitimate party.  The first couple of years were just family and last year I probably should have done something but I was about to pop and just making it through another day was about all I could focus on.

I wanted to somehow incorporate his love of food into the theme of his party.  I settled on making pizzas.  I scoured various party blogs, stalked unsuspecting bloggers, and Googled until my eyes crossed, all to make this party perfect.  I am, after all, a perfectionist at heart.  Colin was sold on the idea from the get-go and only faltered once when he thought he wanted to have a party at Monkey Joe's.  As soon as I reminded him about cooking pizzas, he had a change of heart.

The kids had a blast and everything went off without a hitch.  There were several moments of silence but that's when all the kids were stuffing their faces.  Colin had such a good time and was so glad so many of his friends could celebrate his big day with him.

Of course I had to make it as healthy as possible but the kids didn't seem to mind.  We had grape kebabs, carrot/celery cups, pizza, and chocolate cupcakes and every morsel was consumed.  Everything was organic and the kids didn't even notice!  I say that because my nieces act like they're eating dirt or something every time they eat at my house.  They think organic equals terrible for some reason.

Please enjoy some pictures from the day and I've listed the many sources for various products and tutorials below if you're interested.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, COLIN!!

Sources/resources:

Invitations, cupcake toppers, and bottle labels:  Treasures from the 80's (I cannot say enough about this girl!  She was a dream to work with, not to mention incredibly creative and talented.)

Stickers:   partyINK

Colin's "4" shirt:  Onelovephoto8 (I've worked with her before and she is so accommodating!  She is super quick and goes out of her way to make sure you're happy.  And her prices can't be beat!!)   

Number 4 artwork tutorial:  She's {kinda} Crafty

Picture garland tutorial:  I Should Be Folding Laundry (It's pure coincidence that we even used the same ribbon!)

Pizza puzzles in favor boxes:  Michael's $1 aisle (I think they are gone now, sorry.)

Other favors:  Target and Michael's

Pizza boxes:  local pizza joint that charged us $.20 a box

Pinwheels, Paper Lanterns, Galvanized Buckets:  Hobby Lobby

Chef's hats and disposable aprons:  Growing Cooks

Day 2: Three Little Birds/Pool

We started the day at this charming little restaurant, Three Little Birds.  Thanks to the help of a fellow blogger - thanks, Carly! - we found this great little restaurant tucked away behind a shopping center.  Definitely not a tourist trap, considering our GPS had us turn into a parking lot, with the restaurant no where to be seen.  Thankfully I remembered reading that it was behind a Staples.

It was quaint, as in 10 tables or less, yet booming within 15 minutes of opening.  Thankfully, we got there as soon as they opened and were able to snag one of the only 4-person tables in the place.  The wait staff was efficient enough but had a very carefree attitude.  There was no chit-chat and no haste amongst any of them.  

The food, on the other hand, was exceptional.  The menu is eclectic without being weird, large without being overwhelming, and chock full of items that appeal to me!  As you'll see with the coming posts, I love breakfast.  I also love going to breakfast with my mom because we share the love of both sweet and savory.  We get to enjoy the best of both worlds by splitting one of each.  I've been known to order one of each when it's just Wes and I but it's much more figure-friendly to only eat 1/2 of each dish (:

Without delving into the entire menu, I'll point out some highlights.  The Huevos Rancheros was served over 2 been and cheese quesadillas that were out of this world.  How can something so simple be so delicious?  We asked for the ingredients but never received an answer.  

The granola maple pancakes were generous but not overly full of flavor.  I'm somewhat of a pancake snob and prefer my pancakes to be lighter and fluffier than these.  It could be the use of granola that weighed them down.

Some menu items listed online were not listed on their printed menu.  Perhaps the menu online is outdated (even though it lists daily specials) or perhaps those are weekday items and we went on Sunday.  Colin ordered the kids pancake that was supposed to have caramelized bananas on it.  The printed menu didn't mention it, so I asked.  She said it did, in fact, come with it, however when his plate was brought there was no banana.  I asked again and thank goodness I did because it was delicious, small, but still delicious.

We'll definitely be going back to Three Little Birds the next time we visit Charleston.

On to the pool...

Not much to say except the pool was small but adequate, Colin liked it, Sawyer did not.  As a matter of fact, Sawyer only donned his swim trunks ONE time the entire week!  

Colin got braver as the week went on.  One day he was even jumping to me without water wings or a floaty!  He loved being in the water but his favorite thing to do was to throw every one of the toys in the water and watch them sink.  That meant I, being the only able bodied adult who could immerse themselves in the water, had to retrieve them.  Luckily, the jumping replaced the novelty of the throwing.

For those of you hoping to catch a glimpse of me in the pool or ocean, it's not going to happen.  I don't have a single picture.  Wes was usually babysitting Sawyer and I don't exactly trust Colin to handle my camera.  I was there though, I promise. 

The leprechaun uniform was a hand-me-down.  I certainly know lime green and red hair don't mix. 

We made it to Charleston (IOP)

There will be more, much more, birthday recapping but I need to get back on the travel trek or I'll never finish. 

So we made it to Charleston with only minimal pain.  Sawyer did sleep some, thankfully, but the traffic was less than desirable.  It became a joke between Wes and I to guess what the hold up was.  It's amazing how a stalled car on the shoulder of the road can slow traffic down that much.  I mean people, quit looking and drive!  Argh!  Very frustrating. 

Upon our arrival, we had a few hours to kill before Mom and Colin's flight was to arrive.  We did some sightseeing at a local Barnes & Noble (for Wes) and Marshall's and TJ Maxx (for me).  It was ghetto-fabulous.  It was hot, the stores were smelly, and I was ready to just get to the beach already.  I was pleased that I found a floppy beach hat for myself though. 

It was time to head for the airport.  Just as we were nearing the exit, my mom called.  They had missed their flight out of Charlotte!  I was calm as a cucumber - in part because I had just heard a little voice in my head, not 10 minutes earlier, advising me to stay calm if mom called to say they had missed their flight.  What?!  She was a bit of a wreck, I could tell, but hopefully my calm voice reassured her.  To make a long story a little shorter, they were delayed leaving Lexington (we're not a big city so why would that ever be a problem?) and ran like the wind to try to make the connection.  Poor Colin cried because he was running so fast, his shoe came off, and he was thirsty & hungry. 

They found a ticket agent and were able to get on the next flight, an hour or so later, on standby.  My mom plopped Colin up on the counter and he whined about being about to die of thirst, so the nice lady gave them 2 free food vouchers.  Nice but really the least they could do considering it was their fault. 

While we waited, we went on and got our groceries for the week and took them back to the house to unload.  The house looked nice enough from the outside but I didn't get to go in, as we were racing against the clock.  So the crip ran up 2 flights of stairs (x2) to take the cold items in and off we went. 

I'm not sure who was more excited to see who - Colin or me?  We gave each other a big hug and we were off to dinner.  Thankfully I'm a planner and had already planned and scouted out where we were going for dinner.  Oh and I should mention that Colin did great on the airplane.  My mom said he was the perfect traveler.  Surprisingly, he wanted to keep the shade pulled down over the window most of the time.  I thought for sure he'd want to see the wing and the sky but maybe it scared him.  Nothing too frightening though because he's ready to go again.

We ate dinner at Bowen's Island.  BI received the 2006 James Beard award for being a beloved regional restaurant.  Some things have changed since 2006 (and since 2008 when we were there last).  The place burned in either late 2008 or 2009 and they restored it to more spacious accommodations.  You go to BI for the food but even more spectacular are the views.  It's nestled right on the water and there's something about eating greasy fried seafood while watching the sun set on the water that is just magical.  The food isn't really all that noteworthy but somehow you don't even really taste it with the breathtaking views.

Back to the house for our first night's sleep.  The house was nice, 4 stories nice.  That might seem impressive but by the end of the week, we were ready to ditch the stairs.  Sawyer fell in love with them so it was a constant fight to keep him away.  The floors were also all hardwood and in case you aren't aware, hardwood is not soundproof - quite the opposite.  You could hear everything! 

Colin had NO trouble sleeping in his plush queen-sized bed.  We rented Sawyer a crib and while it was fine, it was crammed in between the bed and dresser, leaving me about 6 inches to stand next to it to get him in there.  It was also a stationary crib that was on the lowest setting.  I wasn't tall enough to reach all the way down in there to place him, so he woke up nearly every time.  Talk about frustrating!  Wes took over several nights, thankfully, and had a much easier time.

Good night day one. 

Fantastic 4

Dear Colin-

It's hard to believe 4 years ago I was nervously and anxiously awaiting your arrival.  What would I do with this little bundle and how would you change my life?  Little did I know there was such a hole in my heart that you would fill.  Little did I know you would turn my world upside down and teach me so much.  You are such a blessing.  You are such a sweet, well-mannered, loving, smart, and funny little boy.  You continue to amaze me every day with what you say and do and ask.  

I know I won't remember all your quirky saying and things you do but here's a stab at a few.  You still suck your thumb and nothing I can say or do seems to make you want to stop.  Everyone assures me you'll give it up eventually and I guess they're right, I haven't seen many high schoolers suck their thumb at their senior prom.  

Along with the thumb is your blankie, "blue."  Blue goes wherever you do and there's a small crisis if you every forget him.  Two of his 4 corners you have deemed "rubbing corners" and they are absolutely black!  We have no idea what makes those 2 corners special but you love to hold them and rub your nose and upper lip as you're sucking your thumb.  You're kind enough to offer them to us by asking if we want a rub but we kindly turn you down.

You still don't play on your own very well but you love when Mommy and/or Daddy play with you.  You love for Daddy to tackle you and pretend to be an animal of some sort but you start to whine if he gets to rough or tickles you too much.  

You love to work puzzles and even though you get frustrated initially, you figure them out and want to work them over and over again.  You would work the same puzzle over and over, all day long if we'd let you.

You love your baby brother but haven't quite figured out how to play with him yet.  You love to get right in his face with either your face or your hands.  You don't like him to get near your food and cry and whine if he so much as looks your direction while you're eating.  Not much can come between you and your food!  You've started to want to hold him and try to pick him up.  If he's well-rested, he plays along but other times he cries immediately.  He loves for you to be around though and watches your every move.

You still eat like a champ.  There's not many things you won't eat or at least try.  If you're well-rested, you will try just about anything I put in front of you and you always say, "I love xxx."  For breakfast every morning you have your fruit (grapes, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and sometimes blackberries), milk, and either cereal or oatmeal with raisins and almonds.  Often you'll have a second breakfast at school.  You love to eat and you're growing belly proves it.

You takes naps sporadically.  Sometimes you are adamant about not taking them, other times you fall asleep on the couch in the computer room, and on vacation you willing napped every day!  It makes a world of difference when you do nap though.  Someday you'll understand how great naps are!

You love to play outside.  Your face turns beet red from running and being hot but it never phases you.  You get frustrated easily when you learn something new but you're ready to try again in another day or two.  You have a terrific arm - maybe you'll be a pitcher someday...a pitching chef!

You love to give hugs and kisses and tell us you love us.  At the dinner table, you often get up and make your rounds giving out hugs and kisses.  You tell Mommy she makes the best dinners and that she looks pretty.  You tell Daddy you like what he's wearing or a specific article of clothing.  

You are such a smart little boy.  Your vocabulary is amazing and sometimes I wonder where you learn all those words.  One of your favorite things to say is sure - "Sure can." or "I sure will." or "It sure is."  

You know your numbers up to 100 and can recognize written numbers up to 20 (at least).  You know all your letters and can write them all.  You can write your name, not very well but you can.  You know your address, mommy and daddy's full names, and are starting to learn all the states.  

You are my pride and joy.  I am so proud to be your Mommy.  You bring so much joy to my life and I thank God every day for you.  Happy Birthday, Peanut!

I love you,

Mommy

Here's a short interview I had with you - by the way, you love being interviewed!

You favorites:

Color:  red

Food:  ice cream (I think you've maybe had it 4 times.)

Breakfast food:  pancakes

Restaurant:  Chik-fil-a

Dessert:  cake

Toy:  butterfly catcher (which is holding together by a thread and you don't even play with it)

Number:  1

Letter:  A

Song:  Mary Had a Little Lamb

Book:  How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Animal:  something big...elephant

Movie:  Toy Story

Outfit:  birthday shirt

Place to shop:  bookstore

Cartoon:  Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

Sport:  golf (you've played maybe once and got so frustrated you haven't tried again)

Thing to do outside:  play in swimming pool

Thing to do with Mommy:  play outside

Thing to do with Daddy:  play soccer & golf (there's that golf thing again)

Thing to do with Buff:  play outside

Thing to do with Grandpa:  play in the playroom

Time of day:  going to bed (really?!)

Teacher:  Mrs. Kim @ Little Elks

Best friend:  Seth Hager (Little Elks)

What do you want to be when you grow up?  a chef!

And we're off...

Several months back, my mom suggested that she and Colin fly to Charleston, while Wes, Sawyer and I drive.  It would give us more room in the suv, no one would have to ride in between 2 kids for 8.5 hours, and they wouldn't have to take any luggage on the plane, thus making it a lot easier.  Sold!

That left Wes, Sawyer and I to hit the road.  We like to break the trip in half and spend the first night in Asheville, NC.  We would normally like to get out of town in enough time to eat dinner there but that wasn't in the cards for us this time.  A quick reminder and update on Wes' broken toe - well he had to have surgery and have a cadaver pin put in.  That's all well and good but that left him in a boot with stitches and thus, no water.  As in no pool, no ocean, no shower!  Great timing when you're about to leave for the beach later that week.  He went Friday to for one last appointment and he got all but 1 stitch removed.  So close, yet so far away.  To add to the fun, he also had to cram in a full day of Continuing Legal Education in order to get it before the deadline.

We finally hit the road and didn't have much trouble at all, thankfully.  Our hotel was nice enough.  We got to see a disgruntled guest upon our arrival that made me laugh.  Imagine a large man getting mad and literally turning his back to the front desk attendant, as if that was going to do a darn bit of good.  Sawyer slept well which was no surprise given that he didn't sleep at all in the car.

The next morning I couldn't wait to get up and get going because I had a breakfast spot already picked out.  We were ready to leave by 7:30 (yes, Sawyer is an early riser) but sadly found out the restaurant didn't open until 9.  I decided to eat a pre-breakfast in the hotel lobby and then I felt guilty so Sawyer and I walked around the perimeter of the hotel until it was time to leave.  I'm sure I burned about 10 calories but it made me feel a little better!

I had been wanting to try Tupelo Honey since the last time we went to Charleston 3 years ago.  I read a review on another blog and I knew we had to stop this time.  The only regret I have is that we didn't get to eat every meal there!  It was charming, local, had lots of vegetarian options, and was delicious.

It was a beautiful morning, so we chose to eat outside on their covered patio.  A young couple came in behind us and were seated close to our table.  I overhead the guy talking to the waitress and after a little bit of conversation, I deduced that he worked there.  I later asked him and he said he did in fact work there.  I told him that spoke pretty highly of a place if the employees choose to eat there on their days off.  He said he thought the food was awesome and he ate quite a few of his meals there.  I can see why!

Wes was sold on the Fried Chicken and Biscuits.  Me?  The girl who lives and breaths pancakes?  The Sweet Potato Pancake was calling my name.  After all it was deemed their "claim to fame" and was served with whipped peach butter and spiced pecans.  I went all out and upgraded with Grandma's Maple Granola and pure maple syrup.  If you're going to do it, you gotta do it right!

Our waitress told us she'd be right back with our biscuits.  Biscuits?  Am I in heaven?  Dough and dough!  These biscuits were the real deal.  Huge, fluffy, and as tender as they come.  To top it off, they served them with fresh blueberry preserves.  Talk about delicious.  They literally melted in your mouth.  Wes and I split one because we both knew we had a lot more food coming.

Um, yes, the portions are huge here!  Wes' entree was large enough for 2 grown men to share.  2 of the huge biscuits, 2 pieces of fried chicken, all topped with milk gravy.  He wanted to keep eating and eating but eventually had to make himself stop.

My pancake was huge, tender, and yummy.  Admittedly, I've had better but there was certainly nothing wrong with this pancake.  I didn't get any peach flavoring in the butter, nor did the pecans taste spiced but I definitely tasted the sweet potato and the granola was a great addition.

If you're ever in the Asheville area, Tupelo Honey is a must try.  We really wanted to stop here on the way back through but we were too stuffed from breakfast to stop.  The lunch and dinner menu sound equally delicious.  I especially appreciate all the vegetable side dishes - very unique things like smashed root vegetables, cheesy smashed cauliflower, brown butter brussels sprouts, and candied ginger cornbread.  We're definitely planning a return trip sometime soon.

Thankful Thursday

I interrupt my regularly scheduled catch up phase to bring you this week's Thankful Thursday list.  It's been a few weeks since I've done it and I wanted to try to get back on track.  I have a renewed appreciation for each day and try to show that in my actions.  We're not promised tomorrow, so live for today!

1)  Sleeping in.  It doesn't happen often in our house but on the rare occassions when I get to sleep past 7, I feel totally refreshed and super energized.  I enjoy the day so much more (as do those around me) when I get a full night's rest.  More to come in a later post about my attempt to make this a permanent treat!

2)  Cake donuts.  I have a killer sweet tooth and there are few sweets I'll pass up but some are closer to my heart than others.  I love cake donuts straight from the bakery.  I'm not a fan of the Hostess or other store-bought varieties, I prefer the straight-from-the-fryer ones!  My ultimate favorite are caramel cake but a good old plain cake donut is pretty hard to beat.  I just happen to have one staring at me on my desk right now.  I'm trying to resist the urge to devour it.

3)  Memoirs.  Not so much the written ones but more of the intangible ones that are in our hearts and minds.  If you're lucky enough to have an object to go with these memories, even better.  One of the things I've requested of Granny's was her UK sweatshirt.  I would hate to guess how many days that thing was worn.  She was a die-hard UK fan and I think it only appropriate that another die-hard get to carry on the tradition! 

What are you thankful for?  Feel free to link up to Black Tag Diaries to share. 

A Chef in the Making

There are few things that are for certain but I'm 99% sure one of them is that Colin will have a future in food.  Whether it be a chef, a critic, a restaurateur, or maybe the next winner of the hot dog eating contest, it will be something.

From the moment he wakes up until the time he goes to bed, he constantly talks about food.  Within 5 minutes of waking up, he's barking orders as to what he wants for breakfast.  Mind you 2 of the 3 components are the same every day, he still feels the need to include them in his list - fruit, milk, and either oatmeal or cereal (with raisins and nuts on both).  On weekends, he usually has a second breakfast if we go out.  He promptly cleans his plate there as well.  I should mention that one of his favorite breakfast meats is ghoetta.  How many people have heard of ghoetta, much less eaten it? 

Lunch and dinner are much the of the same but with less barking.  He knows he eats what we're having or he eats nothing at all.  We've stuck to our guns on this one since he was a mere babe and for whatever reason, it has stuck.  And boy am I thankful for that! 

The latest trend is dessert.  I held off on sugary goodies for a long time but somehow we've recently started to incorporate it in the form of dessert.  He knows he has to eat everything on his plate in order to get it and he literally cries if he's not given the opportunity to eat it all.  He's so fearful on not getting that beloved dessert that I'm pretty sure he'd eat shoe leather just so he could have it.

So when I saw that a local grocery store was starting a Sprouts Club for kids, I was all ears.  They have monthly meetings/classes whereby they introduce kids to foods, how to prepare them, where they come from, etc.  It has apparently caught on like wild fire because I tried to call back in March and the first available class was in May.  I quickly signed him up.

We were one of the first people there and he quickly claimed his seat in the dead middle of the front row.  The chef had everyone say their name and then she began her little talk.  Colin kept his eyes peeled on her.  She even stopped her speech to comment on how attentive he was being and that he must really enjoy what she was talking about.  Um, yes.  Food! 

They got to make fruit skeweres that would serve as the "feathers" for a peacock she had cut out of a honeydew melon.  She told them they could make one for the display and eat the other.  Most of the kids ate a few bites but Colin ate his weight in fruit.  Picture a 400 lb man at an all-you-can-eat buffet.  Much of the same.  He cleaned out the little silver food containers and was still asking for more.

She later cut a red pepper into an octopus and let the kids sample the "tentacles."  Most of the kids passed but Colin ate so many she had to cut another one.  Seriously, where does it all go?  And better yet, what is my food bill going to look like when he's a teenager?!

The serious student.

The finished masterpieces.

Weekly Recipe: Fried Chicken Bites

Every once in a while I get a wild hair and cook something totally out of character for me.  I definitely cook (bake) my fair share of unhealthy things but I generally try to stay away from frying.  I do eat fried foods on occasion, just not at home.  If I order something at a restaurant, I don't have to see the gallon of oil they used to immerse my food in.  At home, different story.

About the only exception I'm willing to make is to try something that that Wes or I love.  Well he just happens to love fried chicken.  He actually tried to make it one time many years ago and upon the repetitive advise of my grandmother, he got his oil good and hot.  Well apparently it was a little too hot because the first piece of chicken turned to ash in a matter of seconds.  He's lucky he didn't set the whole house on fire.  We went out to dinner that night and neither of us has tried to make fried chicken since.

Until I ran across this recipe in Southern Living.  One of the reasons I have hesitated in the past is because I was afraid the chicken wouldn't get done on the inside and there's nothing that sicks me out more than raw chicken!  This recipe cut the chicken into cubes, thus alleviating my fear.  I had nothing to lose - except the $10 I spent on organic peanut oil!  Yikes!  This better be good.

They were good!  I think I made about 1/2 to 3/4 of the recipe and that was plenty for 5 servings.  The only thing I might do differently next time would be the type of bread I use.  I used a couple slices of fresh grain bread and it just didn't break down into a fine crumb.  That caused some big globs on batter that didn't adhere to the chicken pieces too well.  And like Granny said, "make sure you get your oil hot enough!"

Fried Chicken Bites
source:  Southern Living

• 1 1/2 teaspoons to 1 Tbsp. ground red pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground chipotle chile pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 2 pounds skinned and boned chicken breasts
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 3 bread slices, toasted
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• Peanut oil
• Blue cheese dressing or honey mustard dressing

1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a small bowl; reserve half of spice mixture. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. Place chicken in a medium bowl, and toss with remaining spice mixture until coated. Stir in buttermilk; cover and chill 24 hours.
2. Tear bread into pieces, and place in a food processor with reserved spice mixture. Process until mixture resembles cornmeal. Stir in flour. Remove chicken pieces from buttermilk, discarding buttermilk. Dredge chicken in breadcrumb mixture.
3. Pour oil to depth of 2 inches into a Dutch oven; heat to 350°. Fry chicken, in batches, 6 to 7 minutes on each side or until golden brown and done. Drain on a wire rack over paper towels. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Serve warm or cold with blue cheese dressing or honey mustard.

Note: Total time does not include 1 day marinating time.

Belated Happy Father's Day

I'm taking a small break in my catch up posts to wish my dad and my children's dad a belated Happy Father's Day.  They are both incredible men who give themselves unselfishly to their children.  Not to overshadow my Dad's merits, I want to brag on Wes for a minute.

Being a dad means being a role model.  It means teaching and learning as you go.  It means loving unconditionally, giving everything you have, and being there for your family.  Wes does all that and so much more.  He works from home part time so that he can be here with the boys.  He occupies them every Sunday afternoon so that I can prepare dinner in peace.  He plays soccer, baseball, basketball, human gorilla, karate, wrestling and a whole host of other activities that boys are supposed to do.  He has taught Colin to thank me for the meals I prepare and to tell me I look pretty.  He holds Sawyer when we're out to give my back a break.  He reads books and has passed his love of books on to Colin (and probably Sawyer eventually).  He lets Sawyer sleep on his chest or lay cuddled up next to him on our bed.  He shows the boys his love with lots of hugs and kisses.  The boys are lucky to have such a terrific dad!

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Moving right along, next up was my Dad's birthday.  Between the end of May and the middle of July, we have 6 birthdays in my immediate family - 3 of which are in my little family alone!

My dad is a no-frills type of person.  It's hard to buy for him, hard to surprise him, hard to impress him, but easy to love him!  There are 2 thing he loves that I always try to incorporate into his birthday - his grandkids and nuts!  What a combination.

This cake was a conglomeration of 2 recipes and my own style.  I had every intention of making this Butterscotch Cake, until I read it and realized I didn't have butterscotch chips and the author didn't speak too highly of the outcome.  Just goes to show you that looks can be deceiving.

I decided on yet another yellow cake recipe and then looked to Annie from Annie's Eats for icing inspiration.  I had bookmarked her Pumpkin Cake with Butterscotch Filling recipe last fall and decided that was the perfect icing/filling combo.

After making the filling and seeing how much it made, I started to reconsider her frosting.  Time for some alterations.  I wanted the frosting to be more like buttercream or cream cheese frosting, so I went that direction instead.  I've linked to the 2 original cakes but I have to say that my final rendition was pretty darn delicious!  Since I had just finished Granny's cake a week prior, it was easy to compare and I have to say this one won in my book.

Butterscotch Cake
adapted from Annie's Eats & Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice

Old-Fashioned Yellow Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 + 1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs



1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans.
2. In a large mixing bowl sift flour and sugar, baking powder and salt.
3. Add butter, milk and vanilla. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes, occasionally scraping sides of bowl.
4. Add eggs, beat for 2 more minutes.
5. Pour batter into prepared pans, dividing equally among both. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Turn out and cool thoroughly on wire racks. Frost with cream cheese or whip cream frosting. If using whip cream frosting the cake must be refrigerated.

Butterscotch Filling:

¾ cup heavy cream

¾ cup brown sugar

¼ tsp. lemon juice

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 4 – 1 oz. pieces

To make the filling, heat the cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat until hot (do not allow to boil or simmer).  Combine sugar and lemon juice in a separate saucepan and stir with a whisk to combine (the sugar will resemble moist sand).  Caramelize the sugar for 4-5 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a whisk to break up any lumps.  Remove the saucepan from the heat.  Add the hot cream, one half at a time (be sure you are stirring as you're adding or the caramel will harden).  Add the butter, one piece at a time, stirring to incorporate completely before adding the next piece.  Cool in the refrigerator 45 minutes.  Place in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed for 2 minutes, until light (but not fluffy).  Set aside.

Butterscotch Cream Cheese Frosting:

2-3 cups powdered sugar, depending on your desired level of sweetness

6 oz reduced fat cream cheese, softened

5 T. butter, softened

1/2 - 1 cup leftover filling

Begin assembling the cake by spreading the filling in between the 2 cake layers, leaving 1/2 -1 cup for the frosting.  In the same bowl, add the cream cheese and butter and mix until fluffy.  Gradually add the powdered sugar until you reach your desired level of sweetness.  (I never measure so the 2-3 cups was just a guess.)  Frost the entire cake and garnish with LOTS of nuts.  Enjoy!

Catching Up

First off, I want to extend my sincerest thanks to each of you for your thoughts and prayers.  Death is not something that ever gets any easier to deal with.  We all know our time here is only temporary but when someone we love passes on, it's still very difficult to come to terms with the fact that we can no longer just call that person on the phone, stop by for a friendly chat, or see their smiling faces.  Thankfully, we're left with their memories and I will continue to cherish each and every moment I spent with my granny.

Life does go on and perhaps the one shining star in this unfortunate event was the fact that we were scheduled to leave for vacation the week following her death.  Of course there were thoughts of canceling but ultimately we decided to keep our plans, as we knew that's what she would have wanted and expected. My mom agreed and I think we all benefited from the time away.

Before I get to all the details of our trip (including lots of restaurant recommendations!), I have a lot of catching up to do.  I feel like I've been gone for weeks!

One of our favorite features of summer is the bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables.  There's just something about a big plate of veggies that you know came straight from the garden and didn't come from a box or even worse, a can.  Colin loves to walk around at our local Farmer's Market and over the years, it has expanded quite a bit.  One of the leftover benefits of the World Equestrian Games was a permanent Pavilion that now houses our Farmer's Market on Saturdays.

Colin has followed in both his mother's and grandmother's footsteps and loves to people watch.  He loves to look around and point out all the dogs.  He's not so brave one he gets up to them but he talks a big game leading up to them.  People love to bring their dogs, so he has plenty to look at.

There's also lots of music, which he also enjoys.  Sometimes he stares, sometimes he sings along, sometimes he dances, but he always manages to scout them out.  On this particular outing, these were some of his favorites because he's into banging anything that resembles a drum, or even things that don't.

I like it because there's usually something for him to do.  I'm always looking for something to kill time and this usually takes up a good hour or so.  This week he made a chicken with the Living Arts and Science Center.  It was just him and a odd 16-year old boy making a paper chicken.  They were both pretty intense into their project.

The chicken didn't even last through the day.  By that afternoon it was wadded up in the grass outside.  That's where a chicken belongs, right?

There's the veggies too but I figure everyone already knows what they look like.

I apologize for my absence the last couple of days.  It's with a heavy heart that I'm writing today.  One of the most important, influential, and spiritual people in my life passed away this weekend.  I am flooded with emotions, some happy, some sad but most of all I'm thankful that I was able to know this fine woman.

Granny may not be with us in body but she will always be with us in spirit.  Her stories, her smile, her generous heart, and her compassion for others will forever be remembered.  I can only hope to possess some of the same qualities she possessed and if I got some of her longevity genes, that wouldn't be such a bad thing either!  I miss her already but my heart smiles knowing she's with her Lord...and her poodles!

We don't know what tomorrow will bring, so live today for all it's worth.  Hug a little longer, smile a little bigger, and give a little more.  You'll be happier and so will those around you.

Weekly Recipe x2: Balsamic & Soy London Broil with Asiago Potato & Bacon Gratin

Please accept my apologies for skipping Thankful Thursday today to bring you a double dose of my weekly recipes.  I know it'd be easier to accept my apology if I could send you a sample but unfortunately, technology hasn't made it there yet.  

This is a man's meal but this lady appreciated it as well.  The potatoes might not look like much but I loved scalloped potatoes and this is a lighter version, amped up with glorious bacon!  As you can see, sauteed green beans rounded out our meal.  This makes a great Sunday supper but I don't think I'd turn it down any night.

Balsamic & Soy London Broil
source:  Cooking With Michele

• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 T. brown sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 1/2 T. soy sauce, divided use
• 1 pound London Broil

1.  Combine vinegar, brown sugar, and 1/2 T. soy sauce in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until thick & syrupy, about 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool.
2.  Combine glaze and soy sauce and pour into a shallow dish just large enough to fit the London Broil.  Turn the meat over a couple of times to make sure it's covered with the marinade, then poke all over with a fork to further tenderize the meat.
3.  Cover and refrigerate 4-8 hours, continuing to turn and pierce with a fork to tenderize.  Note:  I failed to do this and it turned out fine.
4.  Grill over medium-high heat to desired temperature, about 5 minutes per side for medium rare with a 1 1/2" thick piece of meat.  Reserve the marinade. 
5.  Let rest about 5-10 minutes before slicing.  Cover to keep warm while you're waiting.
6.  Bring leftover marinade to a boil and then toss sliced meat with the marinade and serve. 

Asiago Potato & Bacon Gratin

source:  Cooking Light

• 1 1/2 pounds peeled Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• Cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated Asiago cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives (I omitted)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Place potatoes in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until potatoes are almost tender. Drain. Sprinkle potatoes evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt; set aside and keep warm.
• Heat a medium saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add shallots; cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Sprinkle flour over shallots. Gradually add 1/2 cup milk, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Gradually add remaining 1 1/2 cups milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook over medium heat 9 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in 3/4 teaspoon salt, Asiago, chives, pepper, and bacon.
• Arrange half of potato slices in an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour half of cheese sauce over potato slices. Top with remaining potato slices and cheese sauce; sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.