For my birthday, I received an autographed copy of Barefoot Contessa Parties!, an early cookbook by one of my favorite Food Network stars, Ina Garten. This delightful Lemon Cake is the first dish I chose to make from it and it didn’t disappoint! Continue reading “Pretty Lemon Cake Loaves”
Sunday Brunch Dockside
The Black Marlin Bayside Grill
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Nothing says vacation to me like Sunday brunch dockside, and The Black Marlin Bayside Grill in the Carolina lowcountry delivers. Breakfast is a meal I don’t make time to enjoy often, so when I do, it’s a real treat. After a weekend of lounging in the sun, The Black Marlin with its casual, welcoming atmosphere was just the place to dine.
A wide variety of menu options are available with very reasonable prices.
A good drink always has a proper garnish. On the left, this isn’t just any old Bloody Mary. This is a Cucumber Bloody Mary made with Effen Cucumber Vodka. It was peppery and smooth and everything I had hoped it would be. At right, a refreshing Mimosa.
I ordered the Dulce De Leche French Toast with bacon. Dulce De Leche literally translates to “candy of milk,” I later learned. It’s basically a caramel sauce. The french toast was garnished with passion fruit. How awesome it that? Definitely a step up from your average french toast dish. The bread was the perfect thickness and no syrup was needed.
I also enjoyed coffee with cream. I had it all!
Every table was packed. Even my Shih Tzu, Ewok, was welcome to sit on the deck!
The Black Marlin has a self-serve Bloody Mary bar! How cool is that? You basically order a Bloody Mary, then you bring your drink over to the bar and flavor and garnish it however you like. Very cool.
This is the hurricane bar which opens for lunch and dinner.
After a delicious brunch, Ewok and I took a stroll on the Palmetto Bay Marina to admire all the yachts. We will definitely visit The Black Marlin again!!
Do you have a favorite restaurant or brunch spot on Hilton Head Island? Given the chance, what would you order for brunch?
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Lime Cheesecake Pie – Mix, Pour and Freeze!
A pie doesn’t have to be complicated. With only six ingredients, this Lime Cheesecake Pie takes literally minutes to assemble and the freezer does the rest! Cold, refreshing, creamy and tart, this is the best and easiest pie you’ll ever make. It’s fantastic in the spring and summer when the temperatures outside are really hot. You can make it as light as you like too, by purchasing lower fat ingredients. 
Start by juicing some fresh limes. You’ll need 1/3 of a cup. I have a juicer, but no fancy equipment is needed. Just roll your lime under the palm of your hand a few times while pressing gently or pop the lime in the microwave for about 15 seconds to get those juices flowing. The lime flavor is what makes this pie AWESOME.
Beat softened cream cheese until smooth, then add in one can of sweetened condensed milk, fresh lime juice and vanilla extract.
Pour the mixture into a 9-inch graham cracker crust. Mine is store-bought, but you can always make your own (it’s just graham cracker crumbs and melted butter). Spread the mixture evenly into the pie crust…
Then put the pie in the freezer for 2 hours. How easy is that?
When the pie has set, the mixture will be firm.
Top with whipped topping. Use the entire 8 ounce container.
Spread the whipped topping over the pie filling evenly. Then place it in the freezer for one hour.
Garnish with lime wedges and mint! That’s my favorite part, getting to decorate it. 😉 Amazing how that little touch of green contrasts so well against the white whipped topping.
Here’s the recipe, courtesy of The Taste of Home Cookbook:
1 pkg 8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 graham cracker crust (9 inches)
1 carton 8 oz frozen whipped cream topping, thawed
Lime slices, fresh mint for garnish
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add milk, lime juice and vanilla; beat until smooth. Pour into the crust. Refrigerate 2 hours. Spread with whipped topping. Refrigerate 1 hour. Garnish with mint and lime.
This dessert pairs well with seafood. Let me know what you think!
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My Lowcountry Boil Birthday Bash
On a cool Friday night in early spring, all the conditions were right for my lakeside lowcountry boil. I was celebrating the last year in my 20’s, and I was ready to have one dang good party.
Check out my video to see us cooking, but be forewarned, we are not professional videographers, there’s a lot going on and I was really excited…LOL!
View the photos below to see how the rest of my birthday bash went down:
For weeks, I anticipated the celebration keeping in mind simplicity, coastal inspiration and rustic elements. I covered the tables where guests would eat with burlap, then placed silver pails on top for discarding shrimp hulls. Yellow flowers popped, and votive candles, sprinkled throughout, illuminated the evening.
I found this nautical fabric and just had to incorporate it in the party! I made silverware bundles with it using rope to keep with the theme of things. It’s all in the details!
If I had to think of one meal that expressed exactly who I am, without a doubt, a lowcountry boil it would be. Potatoes, shrimp, corn and sausage with Old Bay seasoning…does it get any better? Poured out on a newspaper-covered table, it’s everything I am…laid back, delicious and colorful. HA! I really can’t think of any other combination of ingredients that says “Let’s Party!” more.
Much like a cocktail without a garnish, no lowcountry boil is proper without Charleston Benne Wafers. On a recent trip to the Carolina Lowcountry, I picked up some crab dip mix and a package of the popular cookie at the Charleston Market. Learn more about my trip by checking out my post, Carolina Lowcountry Classics with My Best Friend. Also pictured above: Mom’s cheese ball with jalapeno pepper and pineapple served with Ritz crackers, coconut cupcakes with coconut-cream cheese frosting, garnished with toasted coconut and lime cheesecake pies.
Fresh fruit is always a welcomed dish. These strawberries came from The Strawberry Patch, a Mennonite Farm in Waynesboro, Georgia and the pineapple, you just gotta love it.
When all the food was ready, the table looked amazing–especially combined with a yard full of friends and family, and our Bourbon and Blenheim signature cocktails. The menu also included fresh bread and my mom’s amazing crab stew made with sherry. I found the perfect bowls for serving the stew at a local restaurant supply store.
This is my good friend Patrick, and our bartender for the evening. Our signature cocktail, called a B&B featured high quality bourbon and Blenheim, a spicy ginger ale from none other than Charleston. Garnished with fresh mint, the beverage was a refreshing palate cleanser. Iced tea, bottled water, Coke, wine and beer, along with boiled peanuts, also were served.
Getting ready to grub down! From left: My brother Joey, and my best friends Levi and Angela.
A fine evening indeed. From left: Angela, me and Patrick.
There’s no greater feeling than being surrounded by people you love. I’m blessed.
After we ate, everyone drifted over to the fire to hang out, play guitar and sing. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect.
My fabulous guests and new friends Tori and John–Love them!
That was one heck of a party, if I do say so myself! A GIANT thank you and shout out to my mom, dad, brother Joey and sister-in-law Sarah, and my friends Patrick, Angela and Levi for help with set up and break down, cooking, cleaning and bartending. 😉 It certainly takes a team to pull off a party like that and I couldn’t have done it without y’all!
As I looked around the fire that night, I realized that I’ve had the same friends since I was 12 years old. Birthday after birthday throughout my life, they’ve all been there. In addition to that, there were new faces too and I couldn’t be more blessed. To each one that made my birthday special, I am thankful for you everyday.
Now, if only I can top that party for the big 3-0!
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It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere
Ina Garten makes a mean Pink Grapefruit Margarita. It’s not sweet, but very refreshing. With an old friend and a back porch, this tasty cocktail is a Friday night waiting to happen. I had fun with the garnish on this one…no beverage is complete without the proper garnish. Drink up!
Ingredients
1 lime, cut in wedges, optional
Kosher salt, optional
1 cup ruby red grapefruit juice
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (4 limes)
1 cup orange liqueur, such as Triple Sec
2 cups ice
1 cup white tequila
Directions
If you like a salt rim on the glasses, rub the lime around the edge of the glass and then dip the rim of each glass lightly in a plate of kosher salt. Set aside to dry. Combine the grapefruit juice, lime juice, orange liqueur, and ice in a blender and puree until smooth. Pour into a large pitcher and stir in the tequila. If you’re not serving the margaritas in salted glasses, stir 1/4 teaspoon of salt into the pitcher of margaritas. Serve ice cold.
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Petite Sirah Pasta Boats
Seeing this photo of stuffed pasta while listening to the song Belle by Jack Johnson has me escaping to the streets of Italy, smelling fresh bread and imagining fine wine—then Pandora radio quickly changes tunes and I snap back to reality.
Ground beef, Parmigiano-Reggiano, red wine and pasta are staple ingredients I always have on hand. With only a few ingredients, this recipe packs a nice punch and comes together quickly. It’s also versatile. Feel free to change up the ingredients and substitute them with items from your pantry!
Brown the ground beef and onion, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Then, deglaze the pan with a good quality red wine. I’m using Dancing Coyote’s Petite Sirah. It’s a full-bodied, dry wine that’s full of flavor…one of my favorites! Always cook with a wine you enjoy drinking.
Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. I like to add salt and olive oil to the pasta water for added flavor. Then set up a little stuffing station.
Stuff the pasta with the ground beef mixture, then top with sharp cheddar cheese. Sharp cheddar gives it a nice bite.
Cover the stuffed pasta with a jarred tomato sauce, then grate fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano right over the top of the dish. Drizzle with olive oil and splash with another drink of red wine. This will help the pasta to stay moist during the cooking process. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes.
Enjoy fresh from the oven with a garden salad and some fresh bread and you’ve got a complete meal. Be sure to pour yourself a glass of that red wine, if there’s any left. 😉
Tell me about your best pasta dish!
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The Crab Trap, A Family Favorite
The Crab Trap
St. Simons Island, Georgia
When I consider my idea of a perfect 24 hours, I’m waking up on St. Simons Island, spending the day on East Beach basking in the sunshine, finding sand dollars and conch shells and getting lost in a good Pat Conroy or Mary Alice Monroe book, always anticipating where we’ll eat for dinner. No trip to the island would be complete without a visit to the landmark seafood restaurant The Crab Trap. Complete with boating and rustic nautical decor, the atmosphere is always bustling. Enjoy a drink from the bar while you wait for your table and take a seat on the long bench under the southern ferns.
Located only a skip and a jump from the Atlantic ocean just passed a charming residential area on Ocean Boulevard, The Crab Trap has been one of my family’s favorite dining destinations for years. Who can resist fresh seafood and crunchy hushpuppies along with cold cocktails after a day in the summer heat? Not I! This is my mom Debbie (right), and I soaking up the sun. We love getting our tan on, then washing the sand away and heading out on the town for some good seafood.
Crab legs are my absolute favorite seafood. Ordering them at The Crab Trap is only fitting. Would you look at the width of those things? That’s some serious crab meat. These will run you market price which is usually $20 – $25. Totally worth it. In the center of each table, there’s a convenient hole for discarding all those empty shells.
On my most recent visit, I ordered the soft shell blue crab dinner for $20.95.
Here’s what they would’ve looked like earlier in the day…I didn’t catch these blue crabs myself, but took this picture while strolling along the St. Simons Island Pier. Poor things, never had a chance.
The sun sets on a perfect day over the F.J. Torras Causeway to St. Simons Island near the Golden Isles Marina.
Where do you hang out in the Golden Isles?
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Brownie Mallow Bars That Make You Go MMMM
I was searching for a good brownie recipe when I came across this delightful one in my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. I knew I’d found a winner when the recipe called for peanut butter. The combination of creamy peanut butter, chocolate, rice crispy cereal and marshmallows atop cake-like brownies is out-of-control.
Start by combining a 12 oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 cup of creamy peanut butter.
Meanwhile, bake a batch of brownies using a brownie mix and follow package directions. Easy, right?
Top the brownies with a bag of miniature marshmallows and pop in the oven for a few minutes just to get them gooey.
By this time, the chocolate will be nice and melted. Stir it up good. Then…
Add in rice crispy cereal. The cereal provides some nice texture and gives the brownies that little something special that makes you go, mmmm.
Once the marshmallows finish baking, they’ll resemble a white cloud, a soft pillow. Don’t be scared of it. Just pour the chocolate/peanut butter/rice crispy mixture right down over the top of it and spread evenly. It will be messy, but just show it who’s boss.
Once you’ve spread the chocolate mixture over the marshmallows, your work is done! Put that puppy in the refrigerator and let it set for at least two hours.
Check out those pretty layers!! Decadent and divine. Enjoy!
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Carolina Lowcountry Classics with My Best Friend
Charleston Crab House Seafood Restaurant
Charleston, South Carolina
I don’t know what it is about being in the Carolina lowcountry that makes me want to eat fried green tomatoes and shrimp and grits, but every time I visit, without fail, those are the dishes I order. My best friend and I recently visited Charleston for the Miranda Lambert On Fire Tour and among shopping on King Street, sampling benne wafers in the City Market and getting wind-blown on the giant porch swings at Waterfront Park near the battery, we had lunch at the Charleston Crab House Seafood Restaurant. What did we order, you ask? You guessed it–Fried Green Tomatoes and BBQ Shrimp & Grits.
Check out that presentation! Don’t you just love the pop of color those scallions give this dish? The BBQ Shrimp & Grits is a house specialty. It was actually an appetizer, but it will fill you up! Now, I had never had barbecue sauce on my shrimp & grits before and I wasn’t sure if I’d like it. Let me tell you, it is a beautiful combination. Man alive, it was Some Kinda Good y’all. The tangy barbecue sauce really compliments the cheddar jack cheese grits and the perfectly succulent shrimp. This dish will run you $8.99.
We were really hungry after our two and half hour drive from Augusta, Georgia so needless to say we gobbled down the fried green tomatoes before I thought to get a picture. I might add, we had a very hard time making a decision because the menu had an awesome selection! Sandwiches, pasta, seafood platters, garden selections and raw bar items are just a few of the options.
After lunch, we made our way to the pier. It was a stormy and windy day but the seagulls were out and about just the same. I love looking off the dock at all the shrimp boats and large carriers wondering where they’re headed.
This blog post would not be complete without a shout out to my girl, Miranda Lambert. She packed out the North Charleston Coliseum and rocked the house!
And now, just for fun, a little film strip of our attempts to get a good picture while hanging out near the Battery.
So, there. Country music, good seafood and my best friend in the Carolina Lowcountry…the finer things in life. It really doesn’t get much better.
What’s your favorite lowcountry classic activity?
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The Iconic Chocolate Chip Cookie
Sometimes, it’s not the fancy recipes that make your heart go pitter-patter. Chocolate chip cookies are iconic. Just consider it. What birthday party, family gathering, holiday, school function, church get together or kids lunchbox ever got away without them?
As I baked these on a Tuesday night this week, I thought about the many memories I associate with the classic recipe. My favorite one would have to be baking with my big brother. When we were little, I would get so excited when Joey would head for the hand mixer after dinner. I knew just what he was up to. I tell you, we could have just eaten the dough and been happy. I use to guard the cookie dough bowl to keep Joey and his big fingers out it. LOL. 🙂
Do you have a favorite chocolate chip cookie memory? Please share!
Some Kinda Good® 