Blood Orange Martini Recipe and Girls Weekend

It was girls weekend here in NC.  Do I feel bad that I wasn't in VA helping Rebekah open the first ever Woven Home store front.... why yes, yes I do.  BUT.... when one of your oldest dearest friends is having her first baby you gotta make tough decisions and Girls {Baby Shower} Weekend it was!

In case you were wondering, Rebekah ROCKED IT!!  The store looked absolutely amazing and the response was overwhelmingly positive.  Which means... we need to get shopping for more amazing merchandise and fabric.... that is a problem we are willing to take on!  Blessed!  If you are close enough head to  4925 Boonsboro Rd, Lynchburg VA and check us out!  Our regular store hours will be TUESDAY-SATURDAY 10-5.

Woven Home store display and window displays.

 

For a couple full recaps of the weekend visit my friend Jenn over at Unmadebeds or Beth at Clothes and Cocktails. 

It went something like this... eat, massage, ice cream, shop, eat, drink, talk, talk, talk, {minimal} sleep, coffee, talk, talk, talk. 


We did have a theme drink for the weekend made by yours truly... it is a must try!  And, no worries, the pregnant girl was drinking skim milk all weekend...

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Lydia Purcell
Original picture source here.

 

Blood Orange Martini

1 shot vodka

1/2 shot triple sec

1/2 shot Malibu Rum

1 shot Blood Orange Juice**

1 shot lemonade

Shake it over ice and enjoy***

 

**I found the Blood Orange Juice at Harris Teeter with the tonic and seltzers**

***In case you can't find a shaker a Nalgene bottle works even better... for real!  Try that too!***

 

Kandi

 



 

Cherry Tomato and Feta Salad Recipe

This week for Sunday lunch at Nana's I brought a Cherry Tomato and Feta Salad.   It's a recipe I've known for years that has been adapted from a Barefoot Contessa recipe.  Love her by the way!!  I say "known" rather than "had" because I don't really know if I even have the recipe in print anymore.  The great thing about this one is that you can't really mess it up.  Is is so simple to double or triple and people almost always love it and want your recipe.  My other favorite about this go to recipe is that it is best served at room temperature so it makes your life easier whether you are hosting at your home or bringing it along to a party (or Sunday lunch).

Tomato Feta Salad
2 pints cherry tomatoes (if you have the options of different colors go with that!  so pretty!)
2 small containers of BLOCK feta cheese
1 small red onion- small dice
1 bundle of basil
1 bundle of parsley
3-4 tablespoons of olive oil
1/3 cup white wine vinegar (or champagne vinegar if you can get your hands on it)
kosher salt and pepper to taste

Cut feta into cubes.  I usually do fairly large chunks.  1/2 to 1 inch.  Half tomatoes.  Chop herbs. Mix it all together being careful not to break up your feta.  That simple!! 

This one is usually better to make ahead.  Make it in the morning and put it in the refrigerator.  Let it come to room temperature before serving.  It looks beautiful in a trifle bowl.

This is a perfect recipe for summer parties when the tomatoes are delicious and abundant.
Enjoy!

By the way, you MUST go check out Woven Home's new line of wedding pillows.  If you have a wedding coming up there is no way you'll be able to pass this up as the gift (or you might just want one for yourself)!!!

Kandi

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Strawberry Trifle

I have a new dessert recipe I want to share with you.  This is a super easy, no bake semi-homemade trifle.   If you are able to forgo chocolate for the night, (a rare occasion in our house) and you are looking for a sweet treat that is light and fluffy, then this is for you!

Strawberry Trifle

 Ingredients

1 box of ripe strawberries
Angel Food Cake (I bought this, but if you have the time...)
2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
3 T powdered sugar,
1 t vanilla
2 Packages of Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix
1/2 Cup Strawberry Jam
1 T liquid corn starch
1/2 Cup Water

Optional
1/4 Cup Light Rum


* I like to use a trifle bowl for this dessert, However you can also make this dessert in individual cups.  (As seen in my photos).

Getting your trifle layers ready....

1.  Cut up half of the Angel Food Cake (pieces should be bite sized, less than 1 inch.  I bought a huge cake, that is why I only needed half. 

2. Mix up Instant Vanilla Pudding according to directions.  Cool in refrigerator while preparing other layers.

3. Beat Heavy Whipping Cream, 1 t. vanilla, and 2 T. powdered sugar until peaks form.  Place in refrigerator.

4. Slice Strawberries add 1 T powdered sugar to berries and let stand for 10 minutes. 

5. (This is the only complicated step of the recipe.) Make Strawberry Sauce.  In a heavy sauce pan combine 1/2 cup sliced strawberries in their sugar sauce, 1/2 cup strawberry jam and 1/4 cup light rum.  Bring to a boil.  Add 1/2 cup water, and 1 T liquid Corn Starch.  Bring back up to a boil, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat.  Cook, stirring constantly for another 2 minutes.  Sauce should thicken up. Taste for sweetness, you can always add a little sugar to the sauce.



Layer the Trifle

Lay half of the angel food cake in the bottom of the trifle dish.  Pour half of the strawberry sauce over the cake.  Place 1/3 of the cut strawberries  over the sauce.  Pour 1/2 of the vanilla pudding over the strawberries.  Spread half of the whipped cream over the pudding.  Continue layering.  (Remaining cake, remaining sauce, 1/3 berries, remaining pudding, remaining whipped cream.  Strawberries to garnish.

Voila! This is a great summer dessert, just add a few blue berries and you are ready for any Fourth of July or Memorial Day Party!

Hope you Enjoy this guilt free dessert! I finally snatched the camera from my photographer and snapped a quick picture of her!  (she was so thrilled!)

Rebekah

Check out our "where we party" button if you want to see where I linked up.

Key Lime Pie and Sunday at Nana's

In my family we are huge on traditions.  I think they are very important.  Growing up, I was surrounded by my entire family.  And, by entire, I mean tons of people... immediate family, extended family, those who are close enough friends that they count as family... you get the jist... tons! For me now, and for every year of my life until now, we have gone to my grandmothers for lunch every Sunday, AFTER CHURCH.  Even when I left for college I knew I could pop home on a Sunday and walk into a giant home cooked lunch.  It's always there, sort of like death and taxes... you can count on it!  Now my kids count on it, and look forward to it, and love it as much as I do.  Its things like that you take for granted when you are young but cherish as you get older.

It looks something like this....

Lets just talk about this... can you imagine, cooking for 20-40 people EVERY Sunday?  I hope she knows how much we all appreciate her.  I try to tell her, but does she really know?  I hope so!  She's the glue (and a darn good cook!)

So, the reason for this blog post.  I want to start sharing some of my recipes on here.  I think food is really what Rebekah and I initially bonded over!  She is one of the best cooks I know and a fabulous entertainer!

This week I made a Key Lime pie for Sunday lunch.  I made it because a bag of key limes was left at my house after our New Years Eve Party... random!  I usually cook either from memory or by reading a few recipes and putting one together of my own .  This recipe is the same way but I also added in a couple ingredients from my favorite Key Lime Pie from a restaurant that is no longer!  From the long lost and dearly missed Key West Fish Company came the macadamia nut and zest addition to the graham cracker crust and also the fresh berries on top... any will do!

Ingredients:

Graham Cracker Crust:

1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
5 - 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 Tablespoons granulated white sugar
1/4 cup crushed macadamia nuts
1-2 Teaspoons of Lime Zest

Filling:

One 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
3 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
1/2 cup key lime juice

                                                                                        

Topping:

2 Tablespoons granulated white sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Garnish:

Whipped Cream
Lime Zest Curls
Blackberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F , placing the rack in the center of the oven.

2. To make the graham cracker crust, mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar, nuts and zest. Press into the bottom and sides of a well greased 9 inch pie pan. Cover with plastic wrap and chill.

3. While the crust is chilling, with an electric mixer beat the egg yolks until pale and fluffy (about 3 minutes).

4. Gradually add the condensed milk and beat until light and fluffy (4-5 minutes).

5. Add the lime zest and lime juice, mixing thoroughly.

6. Pour the filling into the graham cracker (give it a couple light taps on the table to get rid of air bubbles) and bake for 10 minutes, or until the filling is set.

7. Remove from oven and cool completely then refrigerate until ready to serve.

8. When ready to serve, prepare the topping by beating the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

9. Place topping onto the filling of the pie, add berries and zest curls and serve.

Notes:  It will take a whole bag of key limes to get the 1/2 cup of juice (10-15 depending on how big and how juicy!)  Also, remember to zest your limes BEFORE juicing.

Enjoy!

Kandi
In case you had any doubt... after lunch looks a little something like this...