Category Archives: belle-icious

belles chime in…a share and share alike friend-1-1

05 Friday Jun 2015

Posted by in bar belles, belle of the ball, belle-icious, friday friend 1-1, what's ringin' our belle

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A good friend, Bebe…a belle pal from our college days…shared a great discovery which is very much in keeping with our love of cocktailing!


Via fancy.com

Wouldn’t these be a tremendous gift for anyone ? And we don’t mind saying they would be a great gift for yourself!  Order them at fancy.com .

Another belle suggested we try a great wine. She swears that every time she serves it up, people ask about it and love the smooth crisp flavor.  We obliged and tasted…who are we to argue??  The results are in and we agree…bring on the Vouvray!   Available locally at Northampton wines. Also online at wines.com.

So cool off with a sip or two…just sayin’

Now y’all are going to need to coat those bellies with something tasty while you sip away.  Our favorite Cajun belle Camille shared her secret to cooking all those étouffées and gumbos.   

When you don’t have the time or inclination to make a roux from scratch,  Savoies’s is the answer to any chef or non-chef’s prayers. We tried it with our favorite gumbo recipe and it was the best version to date!!  Easily ordered at Amazon.  So do yourself a favor and order up some, y’all won’t regret it…just sayin’…

Keep  ’em coming belles!

a&a

things to do this week…purchase a present, procure pork, and prepare beans

21 Thursday May 2015

Posted by in belle-icious, fashion forward, what's ringin' our belle

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We know, we know…May is crazy busy!  If your heads are spinning like ours, you might just appreciate our little “to-do” list, just for belles!  With Memorial Day upon us and with youngsters in caps-n-gowns (or long white dresses in our teen-belle’s case), a belle could go crazy trying to get it all done!  We have some ideas.  You’re welcome.

Coordinates has the best sale ever going on now til May 24th! 30% off when you buy two bracelets.  It’s perfect for graduation gifts, and if y’all shop like we do with the whole “one for you, one for me” philosophy, you can snag a little bonus for yourself!   Hey…no judging…it works famously for us…just sayin…

Use coupon code B2THIRTY at checkout.


Via Pinterest

And just in time for Memorial Day…one of our favorite places to order gourmet foods D’Artagnan is having a 15% off sale.  Get their ribs for the grill…you will be regret free!!

Here is the recipe for their Sweet and Sticky Baby Backs. We haven’t tried it yet, but it’s on our to-do list.  Why don’t we all try it and report back…we have a feeling it’s going to be a blue ribbon winner!! Don’t fret, we will let you know exactly what we think!!

And you can’t have ribs without beans… Vegans need not read any further…

 Via The Food Charlatan

The Only Bacon Baked Beans Recipe you need…ever…unless y’all can come up with something better…which we doubt…but if you do…let us know….we love a contest!!

So it’s time to celebrate ….Happy Memorial Day !!

a&a

belles love breakfast in bed…a takin’ care of mama friend-1-1

08 Friday May 2015

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Belles love to lounge…especially when it’s guilt-free…and mother’s day is the perfect occasion to treat your mama belle to a little luxury and laziness!  If you haven’t made a plan to take mom out somewhere special to show her some love, how about a little breakfast in bed?  Of course, no one wants to get up at the crack of dawn, so we’ve come up with some tried and true make-ahead recipes to make your life easier…and tastier too.  

How about a ham and cheese breakfast casserole from the The Kitchn Recipe here. 

via The Kitchn

Or maybe try a sweet treat in the form of a  French toast bake.  Lil Luna does a stellar job…find the recipe here . 

via Lil’ Luna


Or maybe you think mom would prefer Baked Peach Almond Oatmeal . This version is from Two Peas And Their Pods. Get the recipe here. 

via Two Peas and Their Pod

 

And we must say that we mama belles are craving the coffee and doughnut bread pudding at babble.com .  You can get the recipe here .

 

via Babble

 
And, last but by no means least, we have a gourmet casserole for you. The spinach portobello and bacon breakfast casserole is a sure-fire winner by Add a Pinch.  Recipe is right here.  

via Add a Pinch


So celebrate those mamas.  Show them some love and some fabulous food!! 
Happy Mother’s Day !!

a&a

it ain’t easy being green…unless you are this soup!!

24 Friday Apr 2015

Posted by in belle-icious, healthy belle

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We found this “yummy” from GP at Goop…our go-to source for über-cool ideas in the fashion and food worlds (as well as a good dose of inferiority…just sayin’). So, when we find a real winner, we like to share it with you…’cause that’s what we do!

This soup is healthy, easy, clean-eating certified, and tasty to boot!!IMG_2574

Broccoli and Arugula Soup

1 T olive oil
1 clove garlic thinly sliced
1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 head broccoli, cut into small florets
2 1/2 cups water (can use chicken broth…we did)
1/4 t coarse salt
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup arugula
1/2 lemon

Directions :

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion, and sauté for just a minute or until fragrant.IMG_2568

2. Add the broccoli and cook for 4 minutes, or until bright greenIMG_2570

3. Add the water and/or broth to pot with salt and pepper; bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and cover. Cook for 8 minutes or until broccoli is just tender.

4. Pour the soup into a blender, add arugula, and purée until smooth. Note: If using a blender, let soup cool briefly prior to blending. Or…if you want to go the belle route, add the arugula to the pot and use your handy-dandy stick blender (an essential in every kitchen…just sayin’).IMG_2573

Serve the soup with a squeeze of fresh lemon.

Green never tasted so good!!

a&a

a recipe to swim upstream for…a nothin’-fishy-about-it friend-1-1

17 Friday Apr 2015

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We cannot abide a smelly kitchen (unless it smells like bacon of course), and one of us is particularly reticent to cook anything resembling fish for that very reason.

Soooo, it was with great caution that we tried this recipe for honey-glazed salmon….really…serious trepidation. But because one junior belle really wanted to try it…and because her sweet pleases and pleas were irresistible, we gave it a shot. Well, here’s to you, junior belle! You get a gold star for this flavorful, easy entree that DOESN’T stink up the whole darn house!

We also have to give kudos to damndelicoius.net. This belle clearly knows her way around some salmon; and, in true belle-fashion, shared it on her website. So we are continuing the art of sharing and strongly encourage you to give this salmon a try.

Other than the salmon, y’all probably have everything you need in the pantry.

Honey-glazed Salmon – Serves 4

What you’ll need:

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4 salmon filets
Salt and pepper to taste
4 T flour
4 T honey
2 T olive oil
Zest of 1 lime

For the scrumptious butter-lime sauce:

6 T butter
2 cloves garlic , pressed
1 T honey
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

To make the sauce, melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, til foam subsides and butter begins to turn a light golden color. About 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, honey, lime juice, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Season the salmon with salt and pepper, then dredge each filet in flour and drizzle with honey…

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Heat olive oil in large, oven-proof skillet (that means no plastic handle, belles!) over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear on both sides til golden brown. Around 1-2 minutes per side.

Place in oven and bake 8-10 minutes until cooked through.

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Serve immediately with sauce and lime zest. (We made the sauce ahead of time and just reheated before serving.)

A dish y’all will feel swimmingly about!!

a&a

not your everyday farmer…a little spring inspiration

16 Thursday Apr 2015

Posted by in belle maison, belle of the ball, belle-icious, what's ringin' our belle

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IMG_2781The South is all about entertaining, eating and garden clubs…that’s just how we roll down here. We both belong to a great garden club with monthly meetings and at least two great parties each year…holla! But we have several dear friends who are members of what we call “the serious one”. So, when we were invited by the “serious” garden club to hear a wonderful speaker and have a delectable lunch, we didn’t hesitate to accept!

On the the date of the luncheon, we donned our finery (sometimes it’s nice to get out of the yoga pants and throw on some heels) and headed over to the Poinsett Club. Tables were adorned with the most beautiful spring arrangements, put together by the über-green-thumbed members. Lordy, these ladies are talented with a capital T! They even had a little pop-up shop featuring wonderful gardening tools, entertaining ideas and clever gift items. There were also three books available, written by the guest of honor, James Farmer. We barely got our hands on them! There were a couple of moments when we thought the fur might fly with the high demand. (Not from these belles, mind you…just sayin…). Luckily, we emerged with everything intact and autographed books in-hand. Time for some sustenance! IMG_2309 We sat down to a beautiful lunch that included Farmer’s pimento cheese (we posted the recipe here), his famous biscuits (one bite and y’all won’t need to ask why they’re famous) and a healthy serving of Mr. Farmer’s wit. We have attended quite a few of these “belles who lunch” affairs and have heard a good many speakers. James Farmer is, by far, the most engaging, entertaining, humorous and – most of all – inspiring of them all! We couldn’t wait to get home and prune a little from our yards (and the neighbors’)! We wanted to throw a dinner party immediately; and we could hardly get in the kitchen fast enough to make that pimento cheese…and we hadn’t even cracked open the books yet! Speaking of the books…we each came away with these two…IMG_2335His gardening book, A Time to Plant, was already sold out when we got there (at 11:32 am) so we are ordering from Amazon. You must order as well so you can find out about the May rule….or do you know it?? It was a pleasure to remind ourselves to bring the outdoors in, even in the smallest way; to rethink the art of entertaining as an opportunity to share and engage, not a chore or burden; to know that taking time in the kitchen brings tradition and creativity together…which then brings friends and family together.  IMG_2337Simple tasks bring great rewards, and sharing is everything! James Farmer is a true southern gentleman, and we can’t possibly thank our serious garden club friends enough for sharing him with us. But we’ll try by inviting them over for some ham biscuits, a cocktail or two, and camellia from the yard in a beautiful vase…all displayed on motha’s silvah of course!!

a&a

candied lemons make a spring-y belle salad!

09 Thursday Apr 2015

Posted by in belle-icious, healthy belle

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From the blog, how sweet it is, this Spring Green Salad with Candied Meyer Lemons and Fried Goat Cheese is to…die…for!

We’ve made this countless times, always to rave reviews! (Any leftover lemons make a sweet, crunchy, refreshing snack…bonus!)

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Photo and recipe from http://www.howsweeteats.com

Perfect for the spring dinner table, don’tcha think, belles??
a&a

bringin’ home the bacon…a retro recipe friend-1-1

03 Friday Apr 2015

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Back in the day…some would say the olden days…our moms would make these delectable morsels of bacon-wrapped delight.

They are super-easy to make and will bring back fond memories of days gone by. And, bonus…the calories don’t count as you’ll eat ’em standin’ up!!

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Bacon-wrapped Delight Appetizers

Preheat oven to 250 degrees

Lay out Waverly club crackers on a cookie sheet or, as we like to do, on a broiler pan. One sleeve fills a standard sheet perfectly.

Top each cracker with a teaspoon of grated parmesan.
Now add a sprinkle of brown sugar over each cracker.

Take one pound of regular sliced bacon, cut in half (you may need more depending how many crackers you use)

Wrap each cracker tightly in a half-slice of bacon, covering as much of cracker as possible.

Place in oven and bake at 250 for about two hours

Serve and devour!!

By the way, they freeze beautifully and only need to be thrown in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Perfect for when last-minute friends drop in for a visit.  

Remember…everything is better with bacon!!!

a&a

belleicious bunny-worthy recipes…an Easter-prep friend-1-1

27 Friday Mar 2015

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Easter is just round the bend, so it’s time to fill the grocery baskets and prep to feed the egg hunters, bonnet-wearers and seersucker-dressed.  While y’all are figuring out where to hide the golden egg, we’ve come up with some golden egg-worthy recipes to round out your Easter menus…

We’ve actually been enjoying some beautiful weather these last few days, so we would much rather be outside rather than over a hot stove. Go figure!! But we still need to eat, and since Easter is one of those celebrations that can take up all the appliances…all at once…we tested a crockpot ham with humongous success.  Yay us!! This is a fix (with 3 ingredients!!) and forget while you go enjoy the Easter parade type of dish!!

The Food Charlatan is a fantastic blog. She has a great wit and even better recipes. Her easy spicy slow cooker ham is a recipe worthy of making for Easter or really anytime you don’t want to be in the kitchen.

Here’s how ours turned out:IMG_2300It is beyond delish and not really spicy in our minds…we describe it as having more of a kick. So, tender mouths need not fear, and the brave can add extra bang to their liking!

Side-note…this is one of the few recipes we didn’t feel the need to tweak (shocking, we know!), and many of her other recipes are just as spot-on.  We just adore this site and suggest you go get the recipe here and spend a little time perusing!!

Next up…a to-die-for side dish.  Here in the South, we can’t do without pimento cheese…evah!! We belles were recently in the midst of the truly southern James Farmer…more on that incredible experience to come (y’all know what they say, keep ’em wantin’ more!)

We each have a couple of his books (again…more on that later), so we couldn’t resist trying, tasting, and sharing his recipes for pimento cheese. We even sent them out to a tasting panel of sorts!  They were both met with rave reviews, but the spicy version won by a smidge.  Both are worth making…and we suggest a taste test of your own. Would love to hear who makes it to y’all’s winner circle!IMG_2310

Jalapeño Pimento Cheese from James Farmer

Serves 4-6

8 ounce block of sharp cheddar cheese
4 ounce block of Monterey Jack (We used jalapeño jack because we couldn’t find jalapeños in the recipe!!)
2 green onions chopped
1/3 cup pimentos
Dash of garlic salt
Dash of salt
Fresh ground pepper – white, black or red, depending on taste (we used black and red)
3/4 cup mayo (we used Hellman’s)
1/4 cup reduced fat mayo (if you want it creamier…we did not)
Toasted pecans, optional

Grate cheeses by hand (it makes all the difference). Place all ingredients in bowl and fold gently with a wooden spoon; don’t over-stir!

 

Farmer’s Pimento Cheese from James Farmer

Makes 2 1/2 cups

1 cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese (please hand grate!!)
1 cup finely shredded sharp Vermont white cheddar cheese (again, grate by hand)
1/2 -3/4 cup mayonnaise (we used Hellman’s, a scant 3/4 cup)
1/3 cup pimento pieces with some juice
Squirt lemon juice
Dash of Lawry’s seasoned salt
Dash of Morton’s Nature’s seasons
Pinch of cayenne
Fresh ground black pepper
Fresh ground sea salt

Combine cheeses with mayo to taste, pimento, lemon juice, and seasonings to taste.

Now, how about a grilled pimento cheese with ham for lunch the day after Easter?!  Sounds like a perfect way to wind down from the holiday to us!!

And remember…everything tastes better on motha’s silvah, just sayin’!!!

a&a

leprechaun trickery?…a lesson to the overly-confident belle-chef

11 Wednesday Mar 2015

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Believe it or not, even though we seem to be attached at the hip…sometimes we belles do seperate for brief periods of time. It was spring break time for the teen belles, so SHE (petite belle and family) traveled to a far away island for some tropical r&r…

(the evidence)

(the evidence)


…while I happily (but a tad jealously) stayed home with a light schedule and a couple of free days.

So, with a bit of time on my hands, I took the opportunity to get a lil ahead of the game and tackle an Irish recipe for the blog…hoping to give us all a plan for a St. Pat’s Day meal. Now, not tryin’ to brag or anything, I have been told that I’m a pretty dang good cook on more than one occasion…and I feel like I know my way around a recipe…and even have enough know-how to tweak and adjust with confidence.

Looking for something classically Irish, I picked a Guinness stew that seemed perfect for the occasion. With absolutely no hesitation, I took to cooking. Three and a half hours later…most of which was cooking time, I opened the Dutch oven to discover…a complete and utter disaster. The liquid had totally evaporated, it was on the verge of being stuck to the bottom of the pot, and it looked revolting!! I dared taste it…NOT GOOD…BITTER…YUCK!! Still, because I’ve been doing this kitchen gig for a while now, I didn’t panic. I resorted to tweaking, adding liquid, seasoning, stirring. I tasted again…blech!! Had I failed? Surely not! Leprechaun trickery? Likely!!

So, I did what every good cook would do…I got rid of the evidence. Straight to the trash it went. I didn’t even give the dogs a chance at it (…it was that bad). So, now what? I was over the whole stew idea…and I realized it might be better to simply recommend the ace-up-my-sleeve Corned Beef and Cabbage that we posted for St. Patrick’s Day last year…
IMG_2549Make it…it’s tantrum (and Leprechaun) proof. (And if y’all have any Irish mains that are tasty, and foolproof as well, please share with us!!!)

All was not lost, though. I might have been conquered by the stew, but I did come across two additional treats that you will want to make all year round!

First, an appetizer…

IMG_2202Via Pinterest
Hot Reuben Dip from recipegirl.com

This appetizer is drool-worthy and perfect for any time…even if you’ve just had a hissy fit and take to eating it with a spoon because no one is around…just sayin’. We especially like the drizzle of thousand island over the top of it to raise the yum factor.

And, of course, we love any excuse for a sweet treat…so this cake should do the trick.

IMG_2203Via Pinterest
Baileys Irish Bundt cake from aspicyperspective.com

I mean…do we even have to say anything? Words just don’t do this cake justice…but a fork will!!

So, traveling belle and humbled belle are back in their rightful places…and we have more March menu ideas (of the liquid variety) headed your way tomorrow! Could a belle ask for more??

a&a