Sip 'n See: Apparently a Southern Tradition

So today I may have come across the most exciting thing I have seen since I found out I was pregnant (granted I have not found out the sex of my baby yet still 16 days).  For those of you who know me, you know that there is nothing I love more than entertaining.  Therefore, when it comes to getting married, having babies or just celebrating day to day life, I live to throw a good get-together. Exhibit A:  I have been dreaming about the 1st birthday party I will throw for this kid since before I was pregnant. On the flip side, I struggle when I am not the planner of these events, so I don't enjoy people throwing me parties nearly as much as I enjoy celebrating others.  Exhibit B:  I am throwing a shower for a good friend of mine on August 13 and I am already ordering invites for her bachelorette in September.  Don't get me wrong, I always enjoy and appreciate when this is done for me (and I don't have a problem begin the center of attention... I am not shy), but it takes all my self-control not to jump in a start helping throw things together.  Sooo you can imagine my surprise when I found out that you can actually throw a big party for this baby before its first birthday.

This phenomenon is called a Sip 'n See and, from what I have read, has been around in the south for quite some time.  Now, all my friends with children live in the cornfield with me, so I have never attended such an event, but I CANNOT wait to host my own... or my child's should I say.  My research shows that basically, this is an open house when people come, have drink, have a snack and swoon over my baby (no gifts of course, baby showers are over).  How can one go wrong with this?  However, I know the fatigue of being a new parent may overwhelm me, so I am already brainstorming simple appetizers that could be an option for this event.  And I can always order dessert from one of my favorite local bakeries:)  So here is one of those easy recipes below.  Even my husband could make this, granted he wouldn't eat it, but you will!  Enjoy!

Brie and Jam Bites


1 refrigerated pie crust
Brie Cheese (cubed)
Your favorite flavored jam (I use raspberry)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Roll out the pie crust and use a small dough cutter to cut into circles.  Press the crust into your pan.  I use a Demarle mini tartlet tray which makes 30, but if you don't have a one of those, use a mini muffin tray (just no need to fill the whole thing and you may also need to grease it).  According to the size of your pan, place a small cube of brie in each crust and then a small dollop of jam.  Bake for about 10-12 minutes and you are all set.  Serve them hot for best taste.

Now this obviously isn't a terribly specific recipe so add an almond or whatever else you think might taste good.  They are bite size, delicious and so easy!

One more thing... you may have noticed from exhibit b above, I think it can be all about the invite.  So in true type A personality fashion, see below for one option I found from one of my favorite websites tickledpinkdesign.net:

Tis the season... for Farmers' Market!

While the Fishers farmers' market has been open for several weeks now, I made my first trip of the season Saturday morning with my friend Lindsay and her toddler, Ms. Kendall.  This is not my first rodeo and over time, I have added a few rules to the Saturday mornings when I plan these outings:

1. Don't eat prior to the farmer's market. While there are many fresh fruits, veggies and flowers, at our farmers' market, there are also many homemade goodies ready for the picking.  This Saturday, I had a fresh soft pretzel for $1 (eat that Auntie Anne's) and an egg roll (don't judge, there is a booth just for homemade egg rolls and homemade sauce).  This does not include the samples of iced mocha, fudge and strawberries that were also consumed in smaller amounts.

2. The cash i bring= how much i will spend.  No matter what amount of cash i bring with me, that is always equal to the amount I will spend.

3. One reusable bag is never enough.  Luckily this week, a local health care provider was handing out free ones to subsidize my need for space.  I mean, when you buy a large bag of kettle corn, it takes up a lot of space.

Now, onto the produce.  I brought home some fabulous apples, potatoes, strawberries and rhubarb.  Which leads me to this weeks recipe: Strawberry and Rhubarb Tartlets with a crumb topping.  Nothing says summer to me like fresh strawberries from a local farm right up the road from us, so I bought 4 lbs... 2 to eat and 2 to cook with.  They also sell rhubarb, so I thought why not spice it up a little.  So there you have it!  The perfect dessert for summer.  Enjoy!

Strawberry and Rhubarb Tartlets with Crumb Topping

For the filling:

3 tablespoons of butter

1/2 cup of brown sugar (divided in half)

1 cup sugar

1 lemon juiced

1 tablespoon of flour2 lbs of strawberries (hulled and sliced up)

1 lb (about 3 large stalks) of rhubarb diced (just the stems, the leaves are lethal)

In a large pan, melt the butter and then add brown sugar, sugar, flour and lemon juice.  Stir until the sugar is dissolved.  Add the rhubarb and cook (stirring occasionally) for about 5-6 min.  Add the strawberries and cook for another 4-5 minutes.  Remove the filling from the heat and let cool.

For the topping:

1 cup of flour

1/2 cup of brown sugar

4 tablespoons of butter

Mix all 3 ingredients together with you hands until it is crumbly.

Now to put it all together:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  I use refrigerated pie crusts to make my life easier, but by all means, if you have a fabulous pie crust recipe, go for it.  I also use my Demarle tartlet tray (which makes 12 small tarts) and dough cutter sized appropriately to cut the dough.  While I suggest you get one of these wonderful pans (wink), you can buy tart shells in the freezer section at the grocery store also, then you wouldn't need the pie crust.  Take your pick, and pour in the the filling leaving a little room for it to bubble.  Sprinkle on a liberal amount of the crumb topping and repeat with the rest of the tartlets.  Bake for 20-25 minutes and then cool.  Serve with vanilla ice cream to make it even better.  Now this will make at least 24 tartlets, so more than one batch. You can also this it as a whole pie, just cook for 45 minutes. 

Here comes the Bride... and a baby?

So it has been a while since I shared my last recipe, but a lot has been going on.  A quick recap:

1. My best friend is getting married this Saturday (yay!), so a bachelorette party was underway May 20-22.

2. I am pregnant!  That's right, baby Pank is on the way and due to make his/her first appearance December 25!  Think of all the Christmas cookies I will be craving...

So I guess that's about all, but those are 2 very big things!  So far I have been feeling great, just needing a little more sleep.  I am 11 weeks this weeks, so almost in the clear for the nausea, etc.  Therefore, I have still been cooking, just an assorted array of items that don't make a lot of since to share on here.  However, more related to #1 on my list of recent endeavors, I did put together quite a spread for the bachelorette attendees who traveled all the way from my old Kentucky home to celebrate in Indianapolis for the weekend.  With the help of my lovely co-matron-of-honor, Miss Emily B., we had a little fiesta (you might call it) to welcome the guests when they arrived late in the evening on Friday.  Along with sangria, skinny girl margaritas & mojitos, we served taco dip, chips and salsa, fruit and, a favorite recipe of mine, weeknight enchiladas.  This recipe was given to me by the next bride-to-be in my life, Kate K.  So while I did not partake in any of the spirits, I certainly enjoyed the food.  Hope you enjoy the recipe!

Weeknight Enchiladas


3 cups chopped/shredded cooked chicken (I used my crock pot so it was super easy to shred, but a store-bought rotisserie would work just as well)
8 ounces shredded Monterey jack cheese
1/2 cup of sour cream
1 (4 1/2 oz can) of chopped green chiles
1/3 cup of chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon cumin
8 small flour tortillas
1 (10 oz can) enchilada sauce

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Mix the first 6 ingredients together and spoon the mixture evenly into the tortillas.  Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.  Roll up your enchiladas and place them seam side down into your baking dish.  Pour the enchilada sauce over them and pop them in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes.  Serve up with you favorite Mexican sides and enjoy!

COMING SOON! I just dropped some hard earned cash on some fabulous new cookware and a new cookbook today, so I will be back on the blogging bandwagon full time very soon.  This baby is loving home-cooked food!

Talk Derby to Me

So this weekend Louisville, KY will be home to the world renowned Kentucky Derby.  Unfortunately, I will not be in attendance this year, but many of you may.  Even if you aren't attending, perhaps you are celebrating at a Derby party.  Either way, I wanted to share a few of my favorite accessories for the most exciting 2 minutes in sports.

1. A must have from Louisville Stoneware for your Derby Pie (although that phrase is copyrighted so the dish refers to it as a Kentucky pie).  Love it!

2. A tabletop for the whole horse racing season from Pomegranate Inc.  P.S. I scored this table cloth on sale at Von Maur a couple of weeks ago... get 'em while they're hot!

3. Finally, what would the big day be without a special mint julep.  If you can't get your collector's glass from Churchill, pick up one of these classic pewter julep cups from the Maker's Mark shop.  Be sure to fill it with it's namesake as well:)

That should get you started!  And don't forget, Derby isn't the only thing coming up this weekend... get ready to show some love for the mom's on Sunday!  More to come as I prepare for a special visit from my mom and mother-in-law this weekend!

For the dogs...

Happy Easter! This weekend, the hubby and I made the trip to Louisville to meet our new niece... She is furry and has 4 legs:) For those of you who don't know, I love all things canine, so to celebrate I made some special treats for all of our furry family members. They are full of healthy ingredients and lack the sugars that human treats have. Plus they are cheaper than the ones you buy at the dog bakery. These are easy and could be made in mini muffin pans, but for effect I used a special Demarle puppy lovers tray, so they are shaped like dog bones! Hope your pups enjoy these as much as mine did!

Banana Pupcakes
2 cups of water
2 mashed bananas
1 egg
2 tablespoons of honey
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
3 cups of whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine wet ingredients then add the dry and mix. Pour into the pan and bake for 13 to 15 minutes. Cool and serve!

Welcome to the family baby Venus!

Beautiful Women and Fast Horses

This post can only be about one thing... Keeneland!  For those of you who don't know, this is a magical place that only opens twice a year to welcome racing fans, gamblers and those of us who just enjoy a good bourbon and quality time with friends.  Plus, it gives me a reason to get dressed up and wear pearls (but who really needs a reason for pearls?).  Despite the fact that it was 45 degrees and a hurricane outside, I spent my Saturday at the track.  For most of us, the best part about the day in the tailgate.  Some race fans feel it appropriate to neglect the food at a good tailgate and spend their resources on the spirits.  I personally feel that it is equally, if not more, important to eat well at your tailgate.  Ours typically consists of fried chicken and barbecue chips, but a carb-filled dessert can't hurt either!  This recipe is for those of you who recognize the need for food and spirits at Keeneland.  WARNING:  A friend of mine ate one piece of this Saturday and was instantly intoxicated.  Enjoy at your own risk!

Bourbon Cake with Bourbon Sauce

Yellow cake mix
1- 3.4 oz vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup bourbon

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Combine all ingredients well and pour into a coated (or Demarle which needs no coating) bundt pan.  Bake for 50-55 minutes.  Cool and invert onto a plate.  Caution: I would use something with edges so when you poor the sauce on it pools around the cake.

Now to get the cake a little saucy (no pun intended)...

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup bourbon

Combine all ingredients together in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Simmer until the sugar is dissolved.   Poke holes in the top of the cake with a toothpick and then slowly pour the warm sauce over the cake.  It will soak up as much as it can even if some falls to the sides.  Enjoy!

Home is where the heart is

Roadtrip!  The hubby and I traveled to Lexington today, which leads me to my next recipe.  The perfect food for a road trip:

Sweet and Sassy Snack Mix
6 cups of corn Chex
2 cups of pretzels
1 cup of Cheezits
1 cup of peanuts
1 stick of butter'
3/4 cup of packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Put the first 4 ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Melt the butter in a saucepan and add brown sugar and pepper.  Bring to a boil for one minute.  Pour the syrup over the dry mix.  Spread on a large baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes, stir, then bake for another 8 minutes. Stir and cool then gobble it up!!

Now... a quick preview... currently, myself and my inspiration (better known as my momma) are baking chocolate chip cookies for a cookout tomorrow night and a bourbon cake for our tailgate to Keeneland tomorrow.  It's the most wonderful time of the year!  And that means, look out for a new recipe Sunday.  Have a great weekend!