Oh My Stars...And Stripes! July 4th- Decor, Delicious Food & A Day of Thankfulness!!!

Happy 4th of July Everyone!

I hope you had a day of sweet thankfulness, family & fun celebrating the freedom we are blessed to enjoy!

We so enjoyed our celebration!

Here is a peek at our decorating (Mason would be thrilled with our theming) and our delicious 4th- themed food!

I got this cute little crab a a boutique shop in Gulf Shores! The blackboard makes it easy to change party messages!

We started our day with a yummy Red, White & Blue French Toast Bake. It is so easy to assemble and wonderfully delicious the next morning.

Slice a baguette into 1/2" slices and lay flat in a greased (cooking spray) 13 x 9.

Mix 4 whole eggs, 4 egg whites, 1 cup of low fat milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract in a bowl. Pour over sliced bread. 

Put 5 cups of fresh or frozen mixed berries in a bowl (I used frozen mixed berries found in the Publix frozen food section). Add 1 1/2 Tbsp of lemon juice & 1 Tbsp of brown sugar to berries and stir.

Top french toast with berry mixture. Mix 2 Tbsp of brown sugar and 1/4 tsp of cinnamon, then sprinkle over the top of the french toast.

Refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.
We use this time to make coffee and mimosas!!!

Top with a dollop of vanilla yogurt and drizzle with your favorite syrup! Yum, yum, yum!

Well, now it's time to get decorating!

I found these fans at Party City for $7.

We attached them to the curtain rod on the back porch.

We used mason jars with pretty red ribbons for drink glasses.

I found these name tags that slide over
cute paper straws at Hobby Lobby!

USA napkins at Party City.

I rolled the silverware in the napkins and
tied jute as a napkin ring.

Happy sunflowers!

Paper fold-out stars from Party City.

The Menu!
Beef Sliders with gorgonzola,
caramelized onions and applewood
smoked bacon on King's Hawaiian Rolls.
Hashbrown casserole, Rosemary and Lemon
Scented Haricot Verts, Watermelon, Key Lime Pie
& Jack's Cosmic Lemonade- Jack Daniels &
Lemonade. (Our three cats always grace the
handwritten plate- can you see them?)

Stars and Stripes square plates from Party City.

The picks are for cupcakes, but we found that they held a
beef slider together pretty well! Plus it looked like little fireworks
on our plates!!!

It was a fun night. But we are quick to remember all those who have given of themselves and many who have given their lives so that we can enjoy this time with family. 

I thought about those who bravely fought to make this an independent nation during the Revolutionary War, those who kept it together during the Civil War, those who fought to preserve us and bring peace and freedom to those we share this world with during WWI & WWII, my grandfather who was in the Korean War, my cousin who was in Vietnam, a brother-in-law who fought in Afghanistan...God, Thank You! Thank You for Your Grace, Your Protection & Provision!

Father- I ask for Your continued Grace for us all!

In Jesus' Name- Amen!

God- Bless America!

La Bonne Vie Y'all!

The Idea That Started It All...The Cooking Gauntlet Has Been Thrown!

The Bonne Femme Cookbook- I found mine at Amazon.

So the night I first found out about Mason's passing I knew that I was going to need to start cooking. In my life, when I have faced difficult times, times of stress, times when I felt like I didn't have a clue I go to my kitchen- I slice and dice fresh veggies, I go through cookbooks, I create food (not just tasty, but aesthetically pleasing food). I spend time letting my mind focus on the flavors and smells, on the precision of a cut or the placement of a garnish. I pray. I sing.

As I went to my kitchen I was thinking about the movie Julie and Julia, where Julie decides to cook her way out of her rut in life with a Julia Child's cookbook in hand. A friend from work said, "Julie and Julia! Are you going to try Julia Child?" I knew, instantly, that I'm not on level with Julia Child, and well, let's face it, it's already been done. I had visions the Hubs coming home and finding me with my head half way in the oven, holding a partially baked chicken and crying because I got nervous and drank all the wine that said chicken was supposed to be basted in. No- no complicated French cooking for me.

In complete disclosure- I needed something easier. 

I'm not a fussy cook. In fact, I was not a good cook for years. Practice truly does help! My family has been gracious over the years...and did I mention practice...

I like things that are easy, tasty, and pretty to serve. I like finding short-cuts without short-cutting the taste of the dish. You see- I love entertaining, and I don't want to be stuck in the kitchen. I want to mingle with my guests. I want to look them in the eye and ask them how they're doing without worrying about what needs to come out of the kitchen next. I like finding the ingredients I need in grocery store! Please don't send me to 8 different places to try to find some obscure spice I need for this one recipe...that I will never use again...!

So I went to Amazon. "Easy French Cookbook". 

The result: The Bonne Femme Cookbook! 

It boasted all the things I hoped for: streamlined steps, grocery store-friendly ingredients and recipes that will be kitchen to table quick! 

I placed my order. I waited. I wondered. Was it really going to be able to come through on all it promised...?

At Last It Arrived!!!

And to my surprise...it did deliver! I poured over its pages, looking for the spot that proved too difficult for this modest home-cook...but it seemed possible! Best yet, it told stories and gave insights on French food, dining, ingredients, and instructions on traditional and Bonne Femme cooking techniques. 

It came to me: I Could Do This!

La Bonne Femme means: The Good Wife. It is also the term that the French use for a style of cooking. It is a streamlined, simple approach to putting great food on the French table. Seems like a great idea to me! It also seems very much like Mason. 

Mason did cook, but not much. Her husband did a lot of cooking, and a lot of complicated cooking at that. She made excellent cornbread, a great cheese ball, and wonderful pork chops...but that was about it. Mason enjoyed her guests and the meal they shared together much better than being in the kitchen. While I probably enjoy cooking more than Mason did, I have learned an important lesson from her, in that the time with family and friends is far more valuable than being a perfectionist in the kitchen.

After Mason's passing, I told the Hubs that I wanted to get a cookbook and work my way through it as therapy to help me deal with the loss. I believe the Lord lead me to the perfect cookbook. One that fits the lesson Mason taught so well- make it simple and easy, so that you can enjoy your friends and family. 

But then I thought of all of Mason's encouragement of my writing. She loved for me to come to her house and share my recent work. She always encouraged my efforts in writing. So then I thought: why not write about about the journey...my eating, drinking, cooking, party theming journey. This would pair a great "Tracy-Mason kinda cooking model" with a story.

And that friends, is how it all started. 

Sure the cookbook throws a certain "cooking gauntlet", but it won't be nearly as difficult as Julia Child!

La Bonne Vie Y'all!

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Super-Easy Key Lime Ice Cream Cupcakes

La Bonne Vie is going Conch today! 

Key West'ers' are lovingly called Conch's after the sea-life they used to harvest. 

Here are a few pics from a trip the Hubs and I took to Key West a few years ago:

A wonderful B&B very near Front Street.

That FAMOUS Key West Sunset!

The Hubs and I on a sunset cruise.

Can you smell the salty, sea air yet??? Maybe this citrus dessert will get you in that beachy mood!

I found this super-easy recipe in the June issue of Coastal Living.

Nut-Crusted Key Lime Ice Cream Cupcakes:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/4 all purpose flour

1/3 cup slivered almonds

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

3 Tbsp butter, cut into pieces

3 cups vanilla ice cream, slightly softened

2 tsp lime zest

1/2 cup fresh Key lime or Persian lime juice

Garnish: whipped cream, lime wedge slice

My ice cream choice. It is so rich and creamy- Yum!

The BEST lime juice there is- hands down!!!!

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with 12 paper cupcake liners. Combine first 6 ingredients in a food processor; process until nuts are ground and mixture is thoroughly blended. Press into bottoms and partially up on sides of prepared cups. Bake 5 minutes; cool completely.

Stir together ice cream, lime zest, and lime juice in a mixing bowl. Spoon about 1/4 cup ice cream mixture into each crust; freeze until firm. Garnish, is desired. 

Makes 1 dozen.

Viola! 

It tastes just like Key Lime Pie!

Heading to the tropics with my Ice Creamy Dessert...La Bonne Vie Y'all!

Father's Day: Sweet & Sour Sausage, Peppers & Polenta

This turned out to be a great surprise...and it made more servings then what I thought it would.

I found this recipe on my Food Network App, and those Food Network gurus...well, they got it from Johnsonville. 

Turns out those guys know how to grill their own product!

Grilled Italian Sausage with Sweet 'n Sour Peppers:

Ingredients:

2 packages (19 ounces, each) Johnsonville Mild Italian Sausage Links

3 tablespoons slivered almonds

1/4 cup raisins

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 medium green bell peppers, cut in quarters and seeded (I used 1 green and substituted an orange one for the second green one...I just like the color.)

2 medium sweet red bell peppers, cut in quarters and seeded (I used one red and one yellow...color again!)

1 medium red onion, cut into 6 wedges

1 tablespoon olive oil

1-2 Tbsp of Italian dressing

1 roll (18 ounces) prepared polenta, sliced into 1/2 -rounds

I do not make my own polenta. I find the pre-made polenta in the the produce section of Publix, near the tofu and organic produce.

I used Bertolli Extra Light olive oil and the Publix brand apple cider vinegar. 

Directions:

1. Toast almonds in a small skillet over medium heat- 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Stir in raisins. Remove from heat. Let stand.
3. Add vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper.
4. Return to medium- low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Pre-heat grill to medium-low.
6. In a bowl, combine peppers and onion. Drizzle with oil. Toss to coat.
7. Place sausages and veggies on grill, use tongs to rotate/ stir often. Grill approx. 15-20 minutes or until sausages are cooked through and veggies are tender. ( I left my veggies on a little longer. I use a veggie basket for the grill.)
8. While sausages and veggies are grilling, brush polenta slices with Italian dressing. Place on grill for 2 minutes- each side.
9. Place sausages and veggies in a large bowl. Pour in almond mixture. Toss to coat.
10. Arrange sausages, veggies and polenta on a large platter.

I used a large platter to arrange sausages, veggies and polenta. I also lightly grilled a sliced baguette.

This is a great summer meal! It is so easy and it feeds up to 8 people.

Enjoy!

La Bonne Vie Y'all!

Skinny Dipping...

Oh...please! It's an appetizer! 

But this does remind me of a sign that my friend Mason had in her home:

Actually, I'm talking about the best dip I've EVER MADE!!!!

It is the most versatile dip...and it's low on the calorie count too!

The base of this low cal, yummy dip!!!

So the base is yogurt, and you add the brightness of citrus and basil. 

I found the recipe in this month's Southern Living, in the "5 Porch Perfect Appetizers" section. They suggested using the dip with grilled veggies, but I used it with steak and scallops too!

So let's skinny dip!

Orange- Basil Yogurt Dip:

Grate zest of 1 orange to equal 2 tsp. Cut orange in half and squeeze juice from orange to equal 3 Tbsp. Stir together zest; orange juice; 1 1/2 cups of Greek yogurt; 1 small garlic glove- grated; and 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil in a medium bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Makes 6 servings. Hands-on 20 mins.

Yum! Yum Yum!

We used this dip for Cajun catfish, grilled scallops and mixed grilled veggies!

It is so delicious! And it goes with practically anything!

So start skinny dipping...it's good for ya!

La Bonne Vie Y'all!

Oh My Gosh...I Just Grilled My First Pizza!

I've been seeing all these recipes for pizza on the grill. There's one with a Thai Peanut sauce that will have to be in my future...but for now, I thought, let's just try the simple Margherita Pizza. 

There is actually an interesting legend about this pizza- how it got its name...it involves an Italian queen and a letter with a royal seal. Was it the queen's letter or was it not? You decide: BBC Food: Was the margherita pizza really named after Italy's queen?

Actually, the word margherita means daisy...which happens to be my favorite flower!

So enough with the sleuthing and flowers...let's cook!

Ingredients:

Fresh Basil- this came from a tiny herb garden in my back yard.

I love tomato- you can use pizza sauce, but I opted for Classico's Bruschetta. You will need refrigerated pizza dough (no- I do not make my own), fresh sliced tomato, fresh mozzarella- sliced, olive oil, sea salt, and fresh ground pepper.
(Note: the ingredients of the pizza are the same colors of the Italian flag. And yes- that is a crab made out of forks and spoons in the background.)

Grilling:

Heat your grill (pizza stone already on grill top) to 400 degrees. I sprinkled cornmeal on the top to make it easier to get the dough off later. I painted  the bottom of the dough with olive oil. Pre-bake the dough for roughly 6 minutes. (Let me pause here...notice the dough is shaped strangely...yes- it is. I did not make a perfect round- the stone it hot and transferring dough to a hot stone doesn't allow for lovely shaped dough. Plus- it kind of fits my personality- perfection is overrated...I think the imperfection makes it interesting!)
Then top with Bruchetta, mozzarella, basil and tomato. Grill an additional 8 to 10 minutes- cheese is gooey, tomatoes soften and basil wilts a bit. 

Here is the finished product!
I did put the tomatoes directly on the grill briefly to char a bit. I would start with that next time, and then put them on the pizza; but due to the constancy of the fresh mozzarella, I didn't have a problem removing them and then adding them back.
I topped with fresh ground sea salt and pepper.
(Note: the tomatoes and bruschetta will release juice as it cooks. Watch out- it's hot. Before topping with salt and pepper, you might want to dab some of the juices off.)

Okay- so I was pretty proud of myself. This was a first try, and pushing my grilling boundaries turned out to be good thing! It was incredibly tasty...and the smell- heaven! 

I will definitely try this again...maybe next time with prosciutto...Yum!

Happy Grilling! 

La Bonne Vie Y'all!

Welcome To My Back Porch!

I thought I should begin by welcoming you to my back porch. That's were all of the good meals, warm company, and laughter hangs out!

View from my screened in porch

My husband and I share brunch together every weekend on this porch. It's nothing fancy really. Most of the time I look to see what ingredients are in the pantry and fridge and toss it together. 

As a way to catch up on my "cooking therapy" I thought I would post the recent brunches, apps, and "themed" meals going on in the Cunningham Home. My friend Mason LOVED "themed" anything. She was so proud to pass that on to her friends!

Omelette: 1 whole egg, 2 egg whites, capers, bacon, chives and mozzarella. Plus a little Athena cantaloupe and blueberries on the side.

Ham and Egg Breakfast Bites: english muffins, cream cheese, rosemary and sun-dried tomato (Boar's Head) ham, eggs- topped with mozzarella and Dijon mustard.

Grilled Cajun catfish, scallops, peppers, onion, and baby bella mushrooms with an orange basil greek yogurt dip. (Dip recipe in another post.)

Veggie Bites! A family favorite, and definitely a Mason favorite...recipe coming soon!

Key Lime Ice Cream Cupcake...recipe to come later!

Father's Day- Dad LOVES the Beach! The following are pics from our "beachy" Father's Day dinner!

My brother's special recipe- Mai Tai's

Dad has a mustache...note the mustache straws!

Yum! Yum! Sweet and Sour Sausage, Peppers, and Onions with Grilled Polenta...recipe to post soon!

Pretty Beach Table!