Thursday, July 25, 2013

tasty thursday

Bacon Apple Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad


For Salad: 
2-3 Romaine Hearts, Shredded
1-2 Apples Chopped
6-7 Slices Bacon, Cooked/Chopped
1 Package Walnuts
1 Package Feta Cheese

Shred romain hearts and top with chopped apples, crumbled bacon, walnuts, and feta cheese.

For Dressing: 
1 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 small red onion
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp poppy seeds

Combine first 5 ingredients (for dressing) in a blender and blend until smooth.  Slowly add in olive oil while blender is still running.  Stir in poppy seeds.  Pour over salad!



This is truly one of the best salads I've ever had.  It is to DIE for.  And it helped that we were able to enjoy it in the cool weather of 70 degrees and breezy! 

Happy Summer, y'all!


Thanks for walking with us,
JL


Tuesday, July 16, 2013

a peters family reunion

25 adults. 2 babies. 4 dogs. and one weekend of fun! Over the fourth, the entire Peters family had a reunion at my in-love's home in Hilton Head.  Shout out to my mother in love for hosting us ALL and having your kitchen and home turned inside out for 4 days straight.  Hats off to her for keeping her sanity!  Also, did I mention we had 4 DELICIOUS homemade dinner (cooked for 27 people from SCRATCH) all orchestrated and done by our Uncle Jim? Shout out to him for planning and preparing all meals for the family; that was so much work in itself! Please enjoy the photo-dump of pictures from the weekend....Alot of people, fun, food, and sun - sounds like a Peters Reunion to me!  

Enjoy!





















Thanks for walking with us,
JL

Thursday, July 11, 2013

tasty thursday

Key Lime Cupcakes


Cupcake Ingredients: 
1 cup flour
3/4 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon green food coloring
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon finely grated lime peel

Icing Ingredients: 
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
green food coloring

Cupcake Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350. Line standard muffin pan with liners. 

Whisk both flours in medium bowl.  Beat butter in large bowl until smooth.  Add sugar; beat to blend.  Beat in eggs 1 at a time, then next 3 ingredients (batter may look curdled).  Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions.  Spoon 1/3 cup batter into each liner.  

Bake cupcakes 20-25 minutes (insert knife into center to see if done; if so, it will come out clean).  

Cool 10-15 minutes; remove from pan.  


Icing Directions: 

Beat all ingredients in a medium sized bowl until smooth; spread over cupcakes.  

Voila! You've made Key-Lime Cupcakes!  They are divine.



***Side note; this batch makes about 12 cupcakes +/-.  I double recipe for a large batch (24 cupcakes).

Enjoy!!


Thanks for walking with us,
JL

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

25 years

John's 22nd birthday

John's 23rd Birthday

John's 24th birthday 

John's 25th birthday (this morning) 

On this day, July 10, 25 years ago my husband was born.  The man God knit together in my mother-in-love's womb; the one He perfectly hand-crafted and made just for me.  FOR ME.   I hadn't even been conceived yet, and the Lord was already forming and creating my husband.  Isn't He incredible? I am amazed at how He works.

Happy birthday to the one who makes me laugh until I cry, comforts me when I'm down, holds me when I'm upset, puts me in my place when I'm too riled up, leads me in our marriage, provides for our family, challenges me in my faith, and loves me like Christ loves the church.  I could not be more blessed by your life and feel so lucky that I get to walk this life with you.

Cheers to 25 years and I pray for 75 more together! Happy Birthday! I love you, John. Thanks for being you.


Monday, July 1, 2013

while in Philly....

Let me just start of this post by admitting that I am far too tired (I just took a killer pilates evening class) and just frankly feeling too lazy -  to write much.  So, let's call this post more of a "photo dump" then piece of writing.

My brother recently proposed to his now fiancé (read about their proposal here).  Yates has always been the super-adventurous type who loves to travel.  He's the type of guy that will go to Paris, Las Vegas, Europe, wherever - by himself.  Who does that?  He will plan an itinerary and travel all on his own - finding his way around a new country/place (and love every minute of it).  He will meet meet friends along the way and hang out with people who were strangers on the other side of the world just days before.  I really admire him for this.  If you dropped me off in a foreign place by myself; I think I would consider it my worst nightmare.  Me? Alone? Foreign Place? no thanks.  TOO far out of my comfort zone.  Then again - RALEIGH- was my comfort zone before the Lord showed me the husband he hand-crafted for me and told me the deal was - I.would.have.to.move.to.Maryland. THAT's a post for another time.

Anywhoooooo.  (Man, this post is already longer than I'd though I'd last typing).  Yates has been saying for the past few months that he wants to take Kara to Philly and that we should all 4 take a trip there together (since it's only 2 hours from us).  So, MONDAY, literally one week ago friends - Yates texts me and says "we're free this weekend! what are yall doing? we can come up fri-sunday to MD and take a day trip to saturday to philly together).  My immediate reaction (in my mind) was "you mean like Friday. as in THIS Friday. as in 4 days away? yeah RIGHT! I need more planning than that!" But then it dawned on me.  We had ZERO plans (never happens), John wasn't on call, I wasn't on call with work - and Yates and Kara were free.  SOUNDS LIKE A PERFECT time to me, I said!

So, they came up for a last minute trip on Friday (got in at 1:15 am; bless their hearts) and stayed until Sunday afternoon.  Shout out to Yates and Kara for coming 7+ hours to visit us from Charlotte (without being able to take off a day or 1/2 day of work).   Means SO much to us that you would travel this far for such a short trip.

Anywho - we woke up early Saturday morning, had muffins and coffee at the house and hit the road.  We made it to Philly around 10am and immediately hopped on a double decker tour trolley that took us on an hour and a half tour of Philly - we saw BEAUTIFUL places and the sun paired with the breeze was just perfect for a day in Philly.  Of course we ate a BIG FAT philly cheesesteak for lunch and hit some more hot spots in the afternoon.

Enjoy the lovely photo-dump from our pictures we took; I didn't feel like lugging my heavy camera around so they are all iPhone pictures (sorry about that).

Thanks for walking with us,
JL
















what happens in philly.....stays in philly...