Party Panache, Caramelized Onion Dip with Maple Bacon

Have you ever had an onion dip made with real caramelized onions? Let me tell you, it’s a game changer! And, more good news, this dip is made with simple ingredients that you probably have on hand~ I always have sweet onions, bacon, mayonnaise and sour cream in my fridge, and often celery, cucumber and … Continue reading

Take-out Tuesday, Easy Summer Super

Last week both of HHjrs boys were away at camp, so we had a lot of fun making dinners that were not very kid friendly… Like Bourbon Chicken with Grilled Pineapple and Garlic Roasted Summer Squash with Asiago This is a really effortless meal… the chicken is marinated with bourbon and pineapple juice, then grilled … Continue reading

Tablescapes, Tropical Summer

After I painted a placemat to match new summer plates last week I set a quick table in the foyer to try it out It was time to replace Spring in the dinning room with Summer… My painted placemat is the star of the show! I found beautiful summer bright flowers at Fresh Market, including … Continue reading

Fearless Friday, A Patch of Blue

We’re going to explore abstract painting a bit today I have been commissioned to do a lot of abstract paintings in my career Any commission is a little scary because you want to make sure your client loves it, but when it is commissioned by your own daughter, that is the scariest of all! This … Continue reading

Creations, Painted Placemats

Welcome to the Creative Crafts Monthly Blog Hop Sara from Birdz of a Feather is our hostess for the summer, thank you Sara! Did you see her great Patriotic Drink Station? So perfect for summer parties~ The links to all the creative crafts are at the end of this post My craft was inspired by … Continue reading

Party Panache, Ham and Double Cheese Spirals

We had a fun Father’s Day dinner honoring my son and my son-in-law last weekend We wanted to make it extra easy on the guys who usually do the cooking HHjr did make an incredible guacamole from a giant avocado CCOG brought us DD brought pizzas and cheesecake and I made Cucumber Blueberry Crunch Salad … Continue reading

Take-out Tuesday, Cucumber Blueberry Crunch Salad

This refreshing and light salad is perfect for hot summer days~ It’s simple to make and is topped with buttery almonds for crunch and a tangy sweet homemade vinaigrette for flavor Crisp romaine, green onions, cucumber slices and fresh summer blueberries are combined for the salad Saute almonds in butter and brown sugar to caramelize … Continue reading

Recipe Box, Father’s Day Grits & Greens Pie

My son loves cheese grits on the weekend so I decided to make him this Grits and Greens Pie from the archives for a special Father’s Day treat This makes a great side dish for any grilled meat or chicken First cook chopped bacon until crispy, remove from skillet and drain on paper towels Saute … Continue reading

Fearless Friday, Fish Fantasy

Let’s draw and color fanciful fish today Fish are kind of like flowers, you really can’t make a mistake, they come in all shapes and sizes, especially when you’re making them up! I searched for lobster art on Pinterest and found 2 images I liked for inspiration One is a metal wall hanging from Etsy … Continue reading

Party Panache, Coconut Poke Bundt Cake

This is one of my favorite cakes It’s made with a doctored cake mix and coconut it’s glazed with Creme of Coconut You can top it with flowers for a special occasion This might be the easiest cake I’ve ever made If you don’t want to use coconut milk, use buttermilk or milk As soon … Continue reading