Please pardon the delay in the posting! We have been busy discovering all the best ways to celebrate graduation as it is that exciting time of year! Whether you know someone graduating or you are graduating yourself, it’s a time to celebrate. And, of course, we like to celebrate in style! Take a look at these adorable graduation party dessert ideas….
Find this precious and delicious cupcake recipe here!
Here’s an excerpt from our interview with Gena. To read the entire article (and get your hands on five of her amazing recipes), subscribe to Southern Flourish.
The Southern Flourish staff is in love with your book. What inspired you to write Southern My Way?
Cookbooks are the perfect creative outlet for me. I love testing new recipes, I love food styling, and I love the south. However, I also want people to know that southern food does not always have to be heavy, greasy and cooked with butter or fatback. There are so many ways to create delicious, fresh, southern cuisine, but in a healthier way that does not take hours to prepare. This book really allowed me to inspire people to cook fresh and a little healthier. I also love traveling back to the places I grew up and introducing all the wonderful farmers and food artisans to the rest of the country.
Growing up in the South, what were some of your favorite foods to eat? Any family specialties?
My mom was, and still is, an amazing cook. Her creamed corn, fresh peas and fried okra were a Sunday lunch staple. Christmas was always fun and included lots of delicious foods; grilled quail with apples and bananas and broccoli casserole are some of my favorites. Everything that came out of her kitchen was divine!
Care for a little Thursday distraction? Well then, by all means, head on over to lovelylovelyfood.tumblr.com. With a delectable array of food images (let’s be honest, it’s straight up food art) and links to mouth watering recipes, this little treasure of a blog will have you scrolling through pages for far longer than you intended your work break to be. But, boy, will you find some great recipes! And I imagine you’ll muster some newfound ambition to try them too!
Spinach salad with strawberries and goat cheese.
Quesadillas with some delicious stuffings
Vanilla mashed sweet potatoes
Grilled cilantro chicken with pickled tomato and avocado salsa…so fresh!
It’s that time to hit the kitchen for a little Thanksgiving meal prep! And do we have a delicious recipe for you!
Individual Ginger Pumpkin Cheesecakes!!
These little tasties offer a lighter option for Thanksgiving dessert.
This delectable recipe combines my Thanksgiving holiday favorites: pumpkin and cheesecake!
Mmmmmm
Individual Ginger Pumpkin Cheesecakes
yields 18 individual cheesecakes
Ingredients:
18 homemade or store-bought gingersnap cookies, sized to fit standard muffin liners
16 oz neufchatel (1/3-less-fat) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup pumpkin puree* (see NOTE below)
1/2 cup Sucanat or lightly packed brown sugar (I used golden, but either dark or light would suffice)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup 2% plain Greek yogurt
pinch of salt
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (If you’d like to make your own, here’s my recipe)
1 tsp ground ginger
Directions:
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Place 1 cookie in the bottom of each of 18 lined cups.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the neufchatel and pumpkin puree at medium speed until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add in brown sugar and beat until combined. Beat in vanilla.
Beat in one egg at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in yogurt, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and ground ginger.
Spoon batter evenly among the 18 lined cups, filling each almost to the top. With the back of a spoon, smooth out the top of each filled cup.
Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until filling is set, 22-24 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Chill in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours before serving*.
*A NOTE from the creator: I typically chill my cheesecakes overnight, but when I did so with these cakes, the gingersnap cookies turned soggy. I attribute this to the high water content of the pumpkin puree. If you’d like to make these cheesecakes a day in advance, I suggest cutting the amount of pumpkin puree down to 1/2 cup. I don’t think the flavor will be compromised, but the cheesecakes will most likely be drier. I also ascribe the “sunken” appearance of the cheesecakes (as is visible in the 2nd and 5th photos) to the heaviness of the pumpkin puree. When I make these again, I plan to use only 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree.
What is soft and warm and probably the best cold weather accessory? A scarf, of course! And how much better if it’s crafted with love? If it empowers another? If it makes another ABLE?
FashionABLE, conceived by the Nashville nonprofit, Mocha Club, brings all of this together:
You are ABLE to provide opportunities. Women in Africa are ABLE to have a new choice.
How exciting to be part of such a movement AND so fashionable all at once?! So please join me. Let’s live fashionABLE. First, we’ll choose a scarf (or two or three) handcrafted by women in Ethiopia…
The Bezuayhu Scarf
The Meselu Scarf
The Mulu Scarf
Second, support women such as Bezuayhu. Women who once were exploited by the effects of poverty but now are a part of a sustainable business and live a life of choice…simply as we live FashionABLE!! Women such as she…
Take a look at these women’s stories and see the passion surrounding these efforts to live fashionABLE. And make sure you don’t miss the tips on how to style your scarf with stylist Amber Lehman! Shall we join them? Which scarf do you choose?
Text by: Mollie McCormick
Photos by: Leslie Rodriguez
Music City, USA. Athens of the South. Nashvegas.
Nashville has many names, but for writer Mollie McCormick the city is simply “home.” Mollie shares her favorite spots and gives you the inside scoop on the perfect long weekend in Nashville.
Friday Evening 8:00 p.m.
If you’re anything like me, traveling always leaves me hungry (ok, everything makes me hungry, but I digress) and ready for a refreshing beverage. I can’t stress the following enough: run, don’t walk, to PM, conveniently located on Belmont Boulevard. Whether you’re a sushi, burger, or pasta fan, PM has it all—just with a hint of Asian flair. Not only will you get the meal of a lifetime, but you will get a great feel for the Belmont area which is thriving with the hippest of local college students, young professionals, and musicians alike. More than likely, you will find me there as well, but make sure to say hello to Ross—he’s the nicest manager around! (more…)
Our issues are full of so much great content that we’ve decided to start posting our greatest hits to the website, too! Here’s a favorite from our Summer 2010 issue.
There’s something magical about Savannah, Georgia. Whether it’s the rich history and moody Spanish moss hanging from the trees or the slower pace and eagerness to entertain, if there’s one thing this city’s got, it’s character. Elegant and mysterious, yet warm and welcoming, the “Hostess City” has plenty of shops, sights and especially, eats to offer.
Day 1 – Downtown Delights
8 a.m. – Start your day off in downtown Savannah with breakfast at J. Christopher’s. Casual and quaint, they’ll even leave a pot of coffee on your table. If you’re looking to hit the ground running, grab a pastry or breakfast sandwich at family-owned Harris Baking Company. And be sure to pick up a decadent pecan chocolate chewie for decadent mid-day snacking.
10 a.m. – When it comes to shopping, Broughton Street has a great mix of popular chains and charming local shops. You’ll find Urban Outfitters, Marc by Marc Jacobs, and Banana Republic, but stores like The Paris Market & Brocante, Bleu Belle Boutique, James Gunn, Copper Penny, DC2 Design and 24e are the true draw. You’ll find clothing, shoes, accessories, antiques, home décor and more. Be sure to stop by the Savannah Bee Company. This honey producer sells food and beauty products throughout the country, but their flagship (and only) store is a feast for the senses. Step up to the honey bar to sample their artisan flavors and pick up sweet souvenirs for friends and family.
1 p.m. – You may have heard that a certain butter-loving southern chef calls Savannah home. Yes, just about every tourist in town wants to have lunch at Paula Deen’s restaurant The Lady and Sons. If you’re interested, plan ahead and start off your morning in their reservations line. If you’re looking for a place that’s a little more low key, head to Soho South Café. It’s an eclectic and inviting spot – part restaurant, part gallery – and they serve up a mean meatloaf sandwich. (more…)
Silver mint julep cups are classic and simple accents that can give any home a little more Southern charm. According to Kentucky’s Derby Museum, the mint julep became Churchill Downs’ signature drink in 1938 when they started serving juleps in souvenir glasses for 75 cents apiece. Seventy years later julep cups will cost you anywhere from $6 to $30, to even hundreds of dollars for unique or antique silver varieties. You can pick them up for a number of places including online vendors like Save on Crafts or bigger box retailers such as Pottery Barn. If you’re like me and prefer to buy yours from a truly Southern shop, try the Historic Charleston Foundation where all profits go towards historic preservation of the Holy City.
Photo: Pottery Barn
Whether you need a beautiful vase for the dinner table, a small arrangement to welcome overnight guests, or something a little classier for your candle or even your toothbrush – julep cups will exceed your design expectations.
Photo: A Country Farm House
And if these photos only make you thirsty, you can always stick with the intended purpose. Enjoy!
Classic Mint Julep:
Boil equal parts of water and sugar in a small saucepan for 3-4 minutes until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add a dozen fresh mint leaves. Let cool completely, storing in the refrigerator overnight.
Place a couple more fresh mint leaves and a tablespoon of mint syrup in each chilled julep cup. Gently press the leaves to open up flavors, but do not fully muddle.
Fill cup with crushed ice and pour an ounce of bourbon over the ice.
Find this precious and delicious cupcake recipe here!
Look at this tasty army of graduation treats!
This is too cute and yummy!
A “bright future” party idea!
These little tasties offer a lighter option for Thanksgiving dessert.
This delectable recipe combines my Thanksgiving holiday favorites: pumpkin and cheesecake!
Mmmmmm
