The Potluck Club Apple Challenge

This month was not only the first time I had ever attended a Potluck Club event but I also got to host it and everyone knows how much I L.O.V.E to entertain. So I broke out the Halloween decorations, some of my favorite linens and plates to get the house ready for the ladies!

The Iron chef challenge of the month was Apples and this group did not disappoint. We had drinks, casseroles, breakfast food, salads, main dishes, soups, just about anything and everything you could think of with this main ingredient. One of the husbands who loves to cook and bake even sent over a very delicious loaf pan cake.

Heres a group photo of all the lovely Potluck Club Ladies, I'm the tallest one so I decided to hang out in the back, you can't miss me :).

In preperation for the yummy dishes I ran across some food nametags on Pinterest and decided to make them myself. This one below was for a Harvest soup with fresh bread crutons and sour cream. YUM!

Above these little Apple Caradomom Cakes were the perfect taste of fall. Not only were they fabulous with powdered sugar but with the right caramel toping could be deadly bad for anyone watching their calories. You couldn't eat just one!

At the end of the night everyone voted for the best dish.

First Place: Apple Stuffing (pictured above)

Second Place: A Tie between a Sausage Apple Breakfast Casserole and MY Apple Crockpot Pork Chops



I had the best time with the ladies and cannot wait until next month! I am wondering what the theme will be for November... Maybe another Iron Chef ingredient like Pumpkin or a Thanksgiving/Family Favorites Theme?

Here is the recipe to the winning dish of the night... Hope you enjoy!

Cranberry, Apple, and Sausage Stuffing

** All photo credits to Olivia**

Pecan Pear Muffins

One of the nights I was working at the Old Mercantile we hosted a baby shower. The mother of the daughter who was having a baby boy made these muffins. She said that she changed a few things like instead of a full cup of oil she did half oil and half butter but I stayed true to the recipe. The only thing I changed was instead of pears I added Gala Apples and I splashed a tsp of Almond extract besides just the vanilla. It gave the muffins a different flavor but was still a yummy, sweet, cinnamon treat :). Enjoy!

Pecan Pear Muffins

24 Servings

Prep: 25 mins / Bake: 25 mins

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, combine the eggs, oil and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the pears and pecans.
• Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Serve warm. Yield: about 2 dozen.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups chopped peeled ripe pears (about 6 medium)
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Just Can't Do Anything Without Challenging Myself. Go Figure.

As of yesterday I can officially add another title to my list. I am...

Volunteer

Mom to a 3rd Grader

Housekeeper

Chef

Doctor

Mrs. Fix-it

Plumber

Car Repairer

Landscaper

Military Wife

Student

Soccer Mom

Personal Shopper

Home Decorator

Therapist

Book Club Leader

and now...

Intern.

That's right I am a working woman.

A real working woman who gets to wear pencil skirts, button up shirts, and heels. It is a thrill like no other!

I always hear people talk about getting up and loving what they do. So far I.LOVE.WHAT.I.DO.

I have learned early that being all of these titles needs to somehow strike a balance. The first thing to fall is my food. I am keeping up with the exercising but I feel like I run to keep the three pounds at bay and only gaining one. I have become a slave to fast food and I hate it. The second my amount of exercise, but that is another blog all together.

I feel so icky and gross. I feel tired and bloated. I get headaches and feel grouchy. My clothes are tighter. For the first time in months I actually hurt during Aunt Flo and I HATE IT.

Talk about a testament to eating clean. I need to get back to it ASAP.

The easiest thing to think of is a crock pot meal. Nothing sounds more wonderful then coming home and smelling dinner already set to put on the table. And I didn't have to hire, pay, or marry it for me to have something to eat.



So I am going to challenge myself to the 100 Crock pot Challenge (creative I know).

I am going to make 100 Crock Pot recipes in hopes of keeping the weight off and possibly loosing the rest.

I will post them here to share with all of you, might even have a few guest bloggers.

So stay tuned. This could be one of my most interesting challenges yet!

Pintrest: French Breakfast Muffins

Two days ago I was oblivious to the world of Pintrest. After a girlfriend of mine came home from her MOPS group with a story about winning a "best food" title for the Buffalo Chicken Potato Casserole she brought I had to have it. Ashley is, after all, an excellent cook.

She told me to pass the recipe all I would need to do is text her my email and she would invite me to join Pintrest.

My review of this website: At this current moment I feel like I should personally drive over and kiss her face for offering up joining the website I am that grateful. I don't want to scare her too badly so I'll just send Ashley a nice thank you note and a promise to make her some of these muffins.

THESE. MUFFINS. ARE. THE. BOMB.

Sorry I guess my '90s slang has just flared up.

Without further adieu here is the recipe. *side note* I was able to whip them up since I had all the ingredients on hand (I love to bake). This my dears are food for the soul. Enjoy :)



French Breakfast Muffins

1/3 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg (preferably room temperature)
1 1/2 c. AP flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 c. milk

Topping
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a medium-large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and stir until combined, but still a bit lumpy. Don't over mix. Scoop batter into muffin tins that have sprayed with cooking spray. Using a large ice cream scoop, I got 8 medium-large muffins out of this batter; I think you could get 10-12 muffins by distributing the batter a little less generously. Bake for 20-25 muffins, or until they just start to turn a bit golden at the edges.

For the topping, mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Place melted butter in another small bowl. Dip the warm muffins in melted butter, then in cinnamon sugar. CONSUME, ENJOY, GO CRAZY!

For credit and original recipe just click HERE

Southern Sides: Jiffy Corn Casserole

This yummy side dish has been made in famous kitchens like Paula Deans (she adds cheddar cheese in her recipe) all the way to mine (I follow this version). The first time I ever tried this casserole was Thanksgiving 2010 when my best friend, Amie made it for a potluck. I hope that you will try it! I'm sure it will quickly become a favorite comfort food in your home too!



Jiffy Corn Casserole

• 1 Can Whole Kernel Yellow Corn, Undrained
• 1 Can Cream Style Yellow Corn
• 1 (8 oz.) Carton of Sour Cream
• 2 Eggs, Beaten
• 1 Box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
• 1 Stick Butter, Melted

Mix all together and pour into a large, lightly oiled casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes.

Comfort Food: Southern Summer BLT

Who doesn't love a classic Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato on a couple pieces of Whole Wheat Bread? I grew up making this for my father and acquired my own love for this classic along the way. This simple sandwich happens to be a staple in my household, especially in the summer! Recently I stocked up on tomatoes and bacon from the Nashville Farmers Market so having a southern BLT lunch seemed a no brainer on this hot afternoon.

Below I'm adding the simple recipe that my Tennessee Grandmother passed down to me. Nothing is as wonderful as a southern sandwich - I hope you enjoy :) 

Simple & Classic Southern Summer BLT

Makes one Sandwich

Ingredients:

• 2 Slices Whole Wheat Bread, Toasted
• 1-2 Lettuce Leaves (I love Romaine)
• 1 Fresh Large Tomato (Cut into sandwich size slices)
• 3-4 Slices of Fresh Thick-Cut Bacon
• 1 Tbsp. Mayo (Dukes is hands down the best!)

Instructions:

            Most good southern ladies would cook their bacon in a frying pan but I love baking mine. To bake your bacon set the oven at 400 degrees. You will need one metal baking sheet, cover the bottom of the sheet with a layer of Aluminum foil, set one big metal cooling rack or two small ones side by side on top of the foil. Rinse bacon in cold water and lay in a single layer. Place in the oven at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Once the bacon is cooked and out of the oven cut the bacon in half cutting the length (makes the bacon easier to work with once your ready to assemble your sandwich) place the bacon on a plate layered with a paper towel to cool and drain.

           Toast bread and spread with Mayo.

           Assemble the sandwich. I like to start by adding 4-half slices of bacon, lettuce, and tomato to one slice of mayo toast then top it off with the other mayo toast. Serve with a side of Regular chips and some Sweet Tea or Lemonade. Enjoy :)