Summer Get Away

      The Williams have pitched our "short term" tent in Fallbrook, Ca since the beginning of June.  Despite the situation not being ideal the location really is a huge blessing. We were able to find a lovely tucked away airbnb in the hills of Fallbrook. The owners are an "more mature" couple who have graciously opened their one bedroom detached mother-in-law cottage to us. 
   We have use of our own living space, kitchen, laundry facilities, outdoor dining, and pool area. What made this place attractive to us is they had several weeks in a row open for renting so we would not have to move around a lot. Also, they are working with our flex closing date so we won't have to move to another place before we move in to our Temecula home. Sweet peeps! 

      Fallbrook is a smaller community, but can boast of some really lovely hidden treasures that Payton and I visit on a weekly basis. We love going to Myrtle Creek Botanical Gardens and Nursery.  It is literally 5 minutes down the road from us and is truly such a tucked away treasure. It is a gardeners inspiration and Payton loves walking around the grounds and feeding the goats! Even though it will be a 20 minute from where we will be living I'm still planning on coming to buy some of my plants, and just to hang out and enjoy the gardens.  
     According to one of the employees they decorate for the fall with pumpkins and go all out for Christmas with real trees, and fake snow... defiantly will be checking that out

Out the back of the store, which is super cute!,
they have an area where you can build and buy your own fairy gardens.
This would make a super cute date for Payton she loves going back there
and arranging the fairy homes and furniture. 

         The nursery is also right next to a local park that we visit regularly, Live Oak Park . We usually go there for the play area, but there is plenty of shaded pavilions, and eating areas as well as across the road a designated enclosed dog park. 
        You know when you have those mornings when the sooner you can get out of the house the better for all involved, well on those days Payton and I go to Fallbrook Coffee Company. They use fair trade coffee and their net proceeds to back to supporting the Fallbrook community. Its a relaxing, local shop with great coffee and food. Payton loves watching the fish that they have in their out door fountain area. 

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Other places we loved to eat  ... Oink and Moo 

                                                   Fire House Que and Brew 

                                                                             Vince's Pizza 

I have no doubt there are plenty more hidden gems in Fallbrook we spent a lot of our day in Temecula with house hunting and general errands that we were not able to do more in-depth  searching of Fallbrook. 

     

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The journey is half the fun!

South Carolina > Texas 

      I tend to just want to rush through the journey and hurry up and get to the destination. Even though that is my default setting I have learned, multiple times, that some of the sweetest experiences, best memories, and ah-ha moments happen during the journey. 

     This particular PCS began in early May going from Beaufort to Texas where we spent most of the month of May with family. 

    We were blessed to spend some time in Dallas with the Whites!! dear military friends who were stationed with us in Japan... and fellow Texans. It was such a sweet time and good for the soul. 

Mr. Jack being a gentleman and driving the lady around 

.... AND who am I kidding of course we went from Dallas to San Antonio via Waco... 

  

 Our little gal turned 2 when we were in TX so we got a rare opportunity to celebrate with both sides of the family and Paytons' birthday got extended over 2 weeks .... she did not mind especially if she got double the cup cakes. 

      Also, its soooo nice to be around family especially when you get to go out on a real date! like not an anniversary, birthday date like a real, just cuz, date. We went to Whiskey Cake in San Antonio, recommended by the sis-in-law, it was amazing! totally recommend. 

     Get the whiskey cake! it was life changing... or maybe just eating a wonderful dessert with out a toddler was amazing. Either way it was divine.

Also, found this recipe on Pinterest for a copy whiskey cake recipe so once we settle down
I will attempt to make it and let ya'll know how it is. 

        Sadly I did not take nearly as many pictures of all the time we spend with grandparents,Uncles & Aunts, and cousins. But we loved every moment! and miss being with everyone and seeing them daily. Come visit!!!  

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From Coast to Coast

       Well its been a LONG time since I have written, (like 2014...) and life has been busy, but I am trying to rededicate a portion of my time to blogging more. If nothing else to keep friends and family up to date on our crazy life.

       Location, Location, Location - good place to start! 

 

    We have moved from Beaufort, Sc to Pendleton, Ca. In all honesty we are still moving.... since we have not landed in a home yet in California. Because of the constant shuffle from place to place I still do not feel like I have fully processed our move from Beaufort. I do know that I deeply miss our friends, church, and community there. Other military friends and people who move often can sympathize with the emotional drain it takes on you building friendships, memories, and connecting your lives to those around you just to have that taken away and to start all over again. 

       BUT on a more positive note if we never moved to Beaufort we would never of made those sweet friendships, grown spiritually, and have the community there who stood beside us and walked with us through life and our entry into parenthood. 

 So as we are  just beginning our time here in California I want to start by remembering our final week in South Carolina. 

The last week was super busy, Greg was finishing his last series with 3rd Battalion. Graduation on Friday - Movers coming on Monday .... EEK  

Our Beaufort home all packed up, We were blessed by amazing owners who were such great people to rent from and a lovely home to make memories and bring our baby home to. 

During our last week P and I were blessed to spend our last play date
 with amazing friends at Fripp Island!

On the Road!!! We drove from Sc to TX our first BIG drive with little bit.
She did amazing!! really, super surprised! we cut the div in half stopping overnight with great friends in Alabama.

We were also on a tight time frame because we had to be in TX by early May
because Greg was graduating from Texas A&M with his Masters.
Shout out to a brilliant, hard working guy who rocked his final presentation!
Love all he does to provide for us and grow as a person. 

      

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Me Time

          Being a new mom these days I find myself daydreaming about free time and mourning the "me time" I use to enjoy copious amounts of. I treasure my precious baby girl and feel blessed to witness all of her nuances and to see the miracle of life and growth in her. 
   It has got me thinking about what a couple of free hours to refresh my spirits would look like. I love cafes, flower shops, old book stores, farmers markets, antique shops, and boutiques. The ambiance of these venues allows me to unwind and tap into my creative side. 

I feel like I could sit at this window for hours after getting a great mystery novel from the shop next store... and of course a latte 

    Maybe the brevity of personal time these days will actually allow me to appreciate the moments I do get and really soak in my environment, and tap into my creative side.   SINCERELY,

Lemon Garlic Chicken

   This is a slow cooker recipe which I am all about. Any time I can use my crock pot it takes a load off of me and saves on valuable time. 

 This is a simple recipe and the favors can be altered to fit your taste. 

            * Clean your chicken well including the inside as well
            

   * Cut a head of garlic in half and one lemon placing it at the bottom of the slow cooker including some rosemary. 
   * Place the cleaned chicken on top of the above mentioned items and season the chicken as desired. I put seasoned pepper, garlic powder, and salt on top. 

   * On top of the chicken place some lemon and rosemary

    * Cover and place your crock pot on high for 4 hours minimum. I cooked on high for 4 hours and then on low for an hour. 

   The chicken was very moist and flavorful and I was able to use the left overs for a chicken pot pie the next day. Wonderful way to extend your meal to the next day and to be healthy and ultimately hands free. 




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Fall Harvest Tips

    Now that we are into the fall season and the farmers markets and produce isles are full of fall produce and inspiration. I thought I would round up some tips on money saving ideas, tips for what to look for, and a fun new recipe that will help you as you transition into the fall foodie mentality. 

    Tip 1 - Buy in season, which should make sense, but a lot of times finding out what is in season in your area can be challenging. I found this site that you can click on your state and it will show you whats in season monthly. 


    Tip 2 - Not all organics are equal and all of them usually cost a pretty penny. Here is a list of produce that you won't want to skimp on when decided what to buy organic or not. 

peaches

apples

sweet bell peppers

celery

nectarines

strawberries

cherries

pears

grapes (imported)

spinach

lettuce

potatoes

     Tip 3 - Here is a list of some of my favorite fall produce and why they should be items we look to add to our cooking arsenal. 

 Arugula is a cool weather peppery green harvested at different times in different places (winter in warm climates, summer in cool ones) but grows in many places during autumn.

 Brussels sprouts grow on a stalk, and if you see them for sale that way snap them up - they'll last quite a bit longer than once they're cut.

Eggplant (early fall) comes into season towards the end of summer, but bright shiny heavy-feeling specimens stay in season well into fall.

 Garlic is another produce item that we forget has a season; fresh garlic is at its plump, sweetest best in late summer and fall.

 Green beans tend to be sweetest and most tender during their natural season, from mid-summer into fall in most regions.

Kale is like all hearty cooking greens - cooler weather keeps it sweet.

Pumpkins are the most common winter squash and come into season in September in most areas.

Winter squash of all sorts comes into season in early fall and usually last well into winter.
 
Zucchini have a harvest season from summer into fall in most climates.

  Tip 4 - When you are at the store here are some no brainer money saving ideas. 

 * Make sure you shop with a list

 * Buy (organic) meat in bulk when on sale. You can freeze and have on hand when needed.

 * The smaller the cart, the smaller the bill

 * Splurge in the produce isle, and make veggies the star of the meal.

 * Don't throw money away, look for ways to use every bit of your food so that none goes to waist. 

   Tip 5 - Fall Cornbread Panzanella Salad with Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette - fun fall recipe from a great blog with wonderful creative ideas that inspire your taste buds. 

 





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Pumpkin Loaf

       This is one of the easiest pumpkin recipes ever. If you are looking for something that is easy to remember, quick, and yummy this is it. 

Ingredients

1 can of pumpkin puree

1 yellow cake mix

1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice 

* Mix together the ingredients till you reach a batter like consistancy 

*Then poor into a greased pan or cupcake liners. 

Bake at 350 degrees 

18-22 minutes 

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 package of regular cream cheese

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream

(mix until you have frosting like consistency)

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Thrift Thursdays: Coffee Creamers

     At the grocery store the other day I was doing a quick drive by past the dairy isle and noticed all the fall coffee creamers. I love all the coffee flavors that come with cooler weather like PSL, Toffee, Streusel and many others. I also love the idea of making my own coffee creamer for the peace of mind of knowing whats inside, money saver, and it also makes fun holiday gifts.
   I found some recipes that sounded delicious and turned out to be very easy and I had all the ingredients I needed on hand. The two I tried out were Cinnamon Streusel & Pumpkin Spice. 

Pumpkin Spice

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream

• 3 tablespoons pureed pumpkin

• 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice

• 4 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Whisk together milk, cream, pumpkin, pumpkin spice, and maple syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat. 
2. When mixture begins to steam, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. 
3. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pour into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator.

Cinnamon Streusel 

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 4 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

1. Whisk together milk, cream, maple syrup and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over medium heat. 
2. When the mixture begins to steam, remove from the heat. 
3. Stir in extracts. 
4. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pour into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator.

 

 

 As far as Holiday gifts go you can make this coffee creamer and put it in a reused jar and tie a ribbon, or paint the top with chalk paint and write an inscription. Let your creative genius free and skies the limit. Enjoy :)

 

 

 

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Good Morning: Rasperry Cobbler

     Traditionally you would never consider a cobbler as a breakfast dish, but in flavor and texture it is not that far off from other fruity sweet breakfast treats. I did not set out to make a cobbler for breakfast, but had the ingredients and needed to use up some raspberries so it seemed like a good fit. This recipe comes from my Grandmother, and has been used for as long as I can remember by my mother as her go-to cobbler recipe. 

Ingredients

2 cups of fresh fruit 

 (Peaches, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)

1 cup of sugar 

1 stick of butter

3/4 cup of flower

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon of salt

3/4 cup of milk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees 

1. Rinse the fruit, then mix the fruit and 1/2 cup of sugar in a bowl.

2. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.

 (Rest of the sugar, flower, salt, baking powder) 

3. In the dry ingredients bowl mix the 3/4 cup of milk and stir

4. Take a 2 quart baking dish put the stick of butter in the pan

and place in the oven till melted

5. Once the butter has melted {10-15min} take it out of the oven

6. Pour the batter (milk + dry ingredients) over the butter DO NOT STIR

7. Final step spoon the fruit/sugar mixture over the butter & batter DO NOT STIR

8. Bake for an hour at 325 and then let it cool before serving and ENJOY

     So hopefully you caught on to the fact that you DO NOT STIR the ingredients once you place them in the baking dish which might feel weird and counter intuitive, but just go with it. 

     Also, you can use just about any fruit with this recipe so get creative and experiment with whats in season. 

    The original recipe called for 2 cups of sugar and I have reduced it to one. Half in the fruit half in the dry mixture and it comes out plenty sweet. You could probably cut it down even more or use agave as a sweetener especially in the fruit mixture. 

     Hope you enjoy this easy sweet dish and make it your own... vanilla ice cream is delish with this cobbler if you are serving it after dinner or whipped cream in the morning with your coffee. 

SINCERELY,

Peach Bread Pudding

    PEACHES! PEACHES! PEACHES! .... there is a plethora of peaches here in the south and the season is fast approaching its end as we head into the fall. So when I ran across this recipe I knew this is what I wanted to do with these last weeks of peach season. It is not a time consuming recipe, but it does require  setting aside some time due to the fact that is needs to set in the fridge for an hour.

Ingredients:

For bread pudding:

8 thick slices artisan bread (3/4 lb. loaf), cut into 1-inch cubes
3 cups buttermilk
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks (or 1 large egg)
1 1/4 lbs. fresh peaches, sliced and cut into 1-inch pieces

For caramel sauce:

1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons butter
1 cup heavy cream, heated until very hot
pinch sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Instructions:

For bread pudding:

Butter a 9 by 13-inch pan. Place bread cubes and peaches in an even layer in the pan.

Whisk buttermilk, sugar, vanilla, eggs and egg yolks. Pour over the bread and peaches. Let stand for about an hour in the fridge. Remove and let come to room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Bake for about 45 minutes or until set and top is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Spoon warm bread pudding into bowls and top with caramel sauce.
Yield: 8 servings

For caramel sauce:

Sprinkle the sugar in the bottom of a heavy-duty saucepan. Turn heat on to medium-high. The sugar will start to melt. Gently swirl the pan so the sugar melts evenly. When the sugar has all melted and is golden amber in color, remove from heat and immediately add the butter and cream. It will bubble furiously and then calm down. The caramel will probably clump up. Place the pan over medium heat and stir to melt the clumps. Add a pinch of sea salt and the vanilla extract. Pour into a glass jar or pitcher and keep warm until ready to serve. Cover the leftover sauce and refrigerate. Keeps well for 2 weeks.

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Good Morning: Blueberry & Lemon Ricotta Scones

  Yummy!!! these turned out fantastic, which was such a joy considering scones can have a tendency to be dry and hard if not done well. The recipe I used is relatively easy and I had most of the items already on hand so it was not inconvenient. I was unable to take pictures of the process it is harder to do when your baking, but the blog I got the recipe from has some pictures if you need them. Hope you have a lovely weekend and can get out and enjoy God's beautiful creation.

Ingredients

1 large egg
1/2 cup cold buttermilk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh ricotta
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons /1 stick butter, very cold
1 cup blueberries
1/8-1/4 cup melted butter, for brushing

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Whisk together the egg, buttermilk, lemon juice and lemon zest in a medium bowl until they are well combined.

3. Add the ricotta and whisk it in. It is okay if a few lumps remain.

4. In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt.
Dice the cold butter into small cubes. (You can place the butter in the freezer for 15-20 mins before in order to get it very cold.) Add the butter pieces to the flour and toss with a fork just until the butter is coated with flour.

5. Now using a pastry cutter or a fork, cut the butter into the flour until you have a mixture of pea-sized or slightly larger clumps of butter and flour. (The pea-size bits of butter in your dough are responsible for the flakiness of your crust – when the butter melts while baking, it creates an air pocket, which is inflated by the steam created when the liquid evaporates. Result – flaky scones. End of science lesson.)

6. Create a well in the middle of your flour mixture and add the liquid. Starting from the center, work the dry ingredients into the liquid by mixing gently with a fork until it all roughly comes together to form a wet, very sticky mixture. It is okay if there is a little flour at the bottom of your bowl. The main thing is to not overwork the dough. Gently fold in the blueberries with a rubber spatula taking care not to bruise them as far as possible.

7. Turn out the dough onto a well floured space and gently and shortly knead the dough. To do this, pat it down gently and put all the flour bits that were at the bottom of your bowl on top of the dough. Lift one end of the flattened dough and fold it in half over itself. Press it down again, put any bits on top and fold again. Give the dough 3-4 turns like this and it should come together. Don’t overwork the dough.
Finally, pat the dough down into a disk, about 1/2 inch thick. Cut the dough into 8 wedges like a pie. Or cut out rounds with a cookie cutter (2.5-3 inches); don’t twist the cookie cutter while cutting. (This prevents the scones from rising evenly.)

8. Transfer the wedges or rounds to the baking sheet and brush with the melted butter. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15-20 mins until the tops are golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack. These are best when eaten warm from the oven with butter/jam/clotted cream à la the Famous Five.

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Top Reads

  Here is a peak into the books that have my attention as of late just something to share and hopefully might spark your interest.

 

1. Furniture Makeovers  

2. Meatless 

3. French Market 

4. Etiquette    

SINCERELY,

Oui, oui, Paris

    There are days you get this travelling itch and it seems like all you can think of is the adventures you have been on and the ones you are dying to take. I am having a Parisian sort of day and remembering all the wonderful things I saw, felt, experienced, and ATE while in Paris. I feel like just being there changes your stature and effects your demeanour.

   Do something special today for yourself wither it is carving out a bit of quiet time at a quaint cafe or spending some quality time with someone who revives your spirit. SINCERELY,

Good Morning: Banana Almond Muffins

BANANA ALMOND 

MUFFINS 

Ingredients

• 2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 5 Tbsp water)
• 2 ripe bananas
• 3 Tbsp agave nectar, maple syrup or honey if not vegan
• 3 Tbsp unsweetened vanilla or plain almond milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup almond meal
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp oat flour
• Optional toppings: chopped nuts, rolled oats, crumb topping  

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin tin with 8 paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, prepare flax egg by mixing flaxseed + water and letting rest for a few minutes.
3. Next add bananas and mash. Add agave, baking powder, vanilla, almond milk and stir.
4. Add almond meal and oat flour and stir once more. Taste to see if it needs more sweetener. I added a touch more because I prefer sweeter muffins.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a tooth pick or knife inserted into the center comes out clean and they become somewhat firm to the touch with a little give.
6. Remove and let rest in pan for 5 minutes. Then cool all the way on a cooling rack.
7. Store in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap for several days. Freeze for longer storage.

I did not have oat flour on hand so I made some myself.

  These turned out nicely, they are hearty and denser more along the consistency of banana bread and brand muffins. They did turn out very moist and were plenty sweet! They are smaller in size and do not fluff up like flour muffins would, but they are plenty flavorful. The above recipe made 10 muffins

Serving size: 1 muffin Calories: 158 

                                    Fat: 7 g 

                                    Carbohydrates: 21 g 

                                    Sugar: 10 g 

                                    Fiber: 3.7 g 

                                    Protein: 4.5 g

SINCERELY,