Champagne & Glitter

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 large bell pepper, diced (small sweet peppers work too! use three or four)

4 to 5 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, depending on how spicy you like

1 large can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

In an oven safe pan…

Fall is here . . .or is it?

The fall equinox has come and gone. We’re now two days into October. And it’s 93 degrees today. So much for pumpkin spice lattes! I had a margarita yesterday it was so hot!

Despite the sweltering temps, I’m still in the mood for fall treats and watching Hocus Pocus! Well, let’s face it, I’m always in the mood to watch Hocus Pocus.

We made sugar cookiesthis week. We had such fun decorating them!…

Thanks to my sweet husband for my new bundt pan and to Martha Stewart for the lemon glaze recipe.

Great Aunt Grace’s Lemon Pound Cake

Ingredients

3 cups cake flour

3 cups sugar

6 eggs

1 1/2 cups Crisco

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup milk

3 tbsp lemon flavoring

Directions

Cream sugar and Crisco together. Add eggs one at a time. Add salt and baking powder to flour and sift together. Add…

My husband makes a delicious dry rub that is great on pretty much any kind of meat. We’ve used this on a London broil to grill and we always use it on chicken or pork when we cook in our smoker.

It’s not really famous, but it should be!

Morgan’s dry rub

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup garlic powder

1/4 cup onion powder

1/4 cup cumin

1/4 cup chili powder

1/4 cup fresh ground…

About the Crystal Coast: I love its tourism slogan “North Carolina’s Gem.” It’s so fitting for this lovely area that includes Atlantic Beach, Morehead City and Beaufort.

Where to stay: Formerly known as the Clamdigger, it now goes by the more upscale sounding moniker of The Inn at Pine Knoll Shores. It’s a great hotel for a quick weekend trip. For longer trips we book a condo through Cannon and Gruber.

Where to eat: (The most frequently asked question!)

Amos Mosquitos in Atlantic Beach. My number one choice though it’s really a tie between here and Floyds. Fun, casual atmosphere and great food. The pork chop with tasso ham gravy is what I’d want as my last meal if I’m ever on death row. It’s only open for dinner and always packed in the summer. Get there early and be prepared for a wait, but it’s worth it. Have a mojito in the bar while you wait. And order the s’mores for dessert cause it’s fun!

  Floyds 1921 in Morehead City. My other number one. In a beautiful old home it’s casual but still has a fine dining flair to it. The entire menu is wonderful. The crab bisque, mac and cheese appetizer and meatloaf are all good. I usually order mahi mahi when I’m here. And I ALWAYS (well except for last year when I was pregnant) order a Big Daddy Dirty Martini! Amazing desserts too!

Ruddy Ducks in Morehead City. This is my dad’s favorite place and we usually end up eating here at least twice if not three times while we are visiting in the summer. The shrimp basket is the best deal at the beach! Sitting on the deck makes for an even more enjoyable experience. The painkiller cocktail is another yummy choice. The fish tacos are good as are all the burgers. Great place for the seafood and non-seafood lovers.

Channel Marker in Atlantic Beach. This place has a bit of an old-school feel to it. They put out the cracker basket and cheese on the table when you arrive. The deck is great if you like to sit outdoors with a view, it’s right on the waterway. The mahi is good and just the plain ol’ fried flounder is another of our favorites. I always upgrade to the stuffed baked potato.

      Spouter Inn in Beaufort. Great spot for lunch. The flounder sandwich is good as is the egg salad. Another great place to dine al fresco right on the water!

        What to do: 

North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. I just love this place. I go nearly every summer. Be sure to pet the stingrays and say hi to the otters, Neuse, Pungo and Eno. If the otters are asleep on your first trip around, swing back by again before you go. It’s worth it to see them playing!

Shackleford Banks. Take the ferry from Beaufort over to this little island to see the wild ponies and collect some shells. It’s wonderful at low tide as there is a big sandbar you can walk way out on.

Fort Macon in Atlantic Beach. If you like history this place is definitely worth a visit.

Mamrie Hart, a native of my small town in rural North Carolina, has just released her second book and it is a hoot!

As a mom of a six-month old I believe my drinking days are long gone. My idea of an exciting drink choice these days is trying a new flavor of La Croix.

I’ve read from multiple reputable sources that having a glass of wine while breastfeeding is perfectly safe, but the new mom…

Flashback to being 32 weeks pregnant with my sweet little boy.

“When are you due?”

“Are you having a boy or girl?”

These are some of the most frequently asked questions of pregnant people. People also want to know what crazy thing you have been craving to eat. I’m a little bummed to report that I didn’t really have any weird cravings while I was pregnant. I was very lucky to not have any morning…

I’d like to say that my New Year’s resolution is to get back to blogging, but there’s a good chance that won’t happen. The reason I have neglected the blog of late is a good one though. I made a tiny human! Being a mother is the most amazing thing I’ve ever done, but gosh is it tiring!

A few years ago I gave up making resolutions anyway, so I’m not going to beat myself up over forgetting to post…

I’m going to warn you about something. Don’t, I mean don’t, ever try homemade pasta. If you do, you will never want to go back to the pitiful dried up stuff in the box. It’s a sad dilemma, but one we now face in my household.

My husband Morgan was given the pasta maker attachment for our Kitchen Aid mixer as a birthday gift. He teases me about how he always seems to get gifts that I benefit from…

A holiday that involves the phrase “Fat Tuesday” is definitely something I can get down with! Though far from the parades routes in the famed Crescent City, I have been lucky to experience my own local version of Mardi Gras thanks to my dear friend Judy. Judy lived for many years in New Orleans and brought the wonderful Mardi Gras traditions back home with her. She has graciously shared these…

We got our first winter snow here in North Carolina over the weekend. As protocol dictates here in the south, we all rushed out and bought bread and milk. Actually, truth be told, I bought neither of those things as we already had them. I did buy some other items so I could bake while we were “snowed in.”

My Dad got us a Kitchen Aid mixer for Christmas and we’ve been so excited to try it out!

Gre…