Fresh from the Farmers Market: North Carolina Beef via D's Beef and Bees Jalapeño Popper Burger Bombs

Fresh from the Farmers Market: Jalapeño Popper Burger Bombs made with NC Beef from D’s Beef and Bees

Skip To RecipeIf you have followed me for any length of time you know that I am NOT a morning person. I have to wake up at 5:45 am every weekday to make sure my 17 & 15 yos get ready for school. I go back to bed until 6:45 am when I wake up my middle schooler. Back to bed again and up at 7:20 am to wake up my youngest (if she isn’t already up). Depending on my schedule that day I may or may not go back to bed for an hour or four. On the weekend, it’s not unheard of for me to sleep until noon. I can’t tell you how nice it is to have all five of my girls able to make their own …

Five easy tips to cook the Best. Steak. Ever.

Five easy tips to cook the Best. Steak. Ever.

When I want to treat myself, I don’t reach for chocolate or cake. I’m a savory girl. I go for steak. Or ribeyes to be specific. “The rib eye or “ribeye” was originally, as the name implies, the center best portion of the rib steak, without the bone. It is both flavorful and tender, coming from the lightly worked upper rib cage area. Its marbling of fat makes it very good for fast and hot cooking.” Ribeyes aren’t an inexpensive cut of meat. When I decide to treat myself I don’t look for the cheapest option; I want the best tasting steaks. IMHO the best place to find top quality beef is from a local farmer. Being a small business owner myself, I have made a conscious effort to support …

Get Into the Woods! Discover the Forest

I’ve always loved the outdoors. Growing up in rural Iowa, if you weren’t into outdoor activities there wasn’t much for you to do! I have fond memories of summer vacations playing at town parks, swimming at the town pool, riding bikes all over town, and when I was a little older, riding my brother’s dirtbikes and quads, going camping and boating at the lake, attending 4th of July fireworks and having big family reunions at state parks. Best. Trip. Ever. Our best family trip ever happened when I was about 7 or 8. My parents took us on a road trip out West for summer vacation. We packed up my dad’s dually truck with a big cooler of food and drinks, hitched up the camper and headed towards Montana to visit my …

Copycat Chick-fil-A Grilled Market Salad Featuring The Produce Box

Copycat Chick-fil-A Market Salad Featuring The Produce Box

The Produce Box is a wonderful service here in North Carolina that provides you with fresh produce, meats, dairy, and bakery items directly from North Carolina farmers and other small business owners. Each week there is a different selection, depending on what’s available and in season, and unlike a CSA (Community-supported agriculture), you choose exactly what, and how much you want to purchase. It’s like a farmer’s market brought right to your door. (Want to become a member? Check it out here!) If you ask me what’s my favorite salad the answer will always be the Chick-fil-A Market Salad. It’s sooo good. The flavor combinations are bright and delicious, and honestly, I could eat one for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day and not get tired of it! But it …

NCADC Cultured Seafood Festival: New Bern NC March 9, 2018

NCADC Cultured Seafood Festival: New Bern NC March 9, 2018

I was born and raised in Iowa and the only true fresh seafood we had was what my brothers and I caught whenever we went fishing. Everything else was shipped in and never really tasted that great. So when I moved to Connecticut I was a little hesitant to try anything that was made with seafood. Then the family I worked for as a nanny took me on a trip to Boston. On the way to their in-law’s 5-bedroom Queen Anne home close to Harvard Square and the Charles River, we stopped at a local fishmonger and picked up some bouillabaisse (French fish stew) for dinner. I really didn’t want to try it, but I didn’t want to be rude so with great trepidation I tasted the stew. That bouillabaisse was probably the …

Boozy Shamrock Shake - Adults Only St. Patrick's Day Treat

Boozy Shamrock Shake – Adults Only St. Patrick’s Day Treat

St. Patrick’s Day is one of my favorite holidays. What’s not to love? It’s a great excuse to have a cocktail or two, there are awesome parades in very Irish cities like Boston, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, (wait Philadelphia? Yes! Philadelphia had it’s first St. Patrick’s Day parade in 1771!) and it doesn’t hurt that I look amazing in green. 😉 Plus, McDonald’s Shamrock Shake comes out of retirement! I’m lucky enough to be married to a true Irishman. We met 24 years ago, fittingly, in a dive Irish pub in Port Chester, New York. I was joking with the bartender about being Irish–trying to get a free drink–and he pointed to Colm and said “He’s from Ireland, maybe he’ll buy you one”. I started talking to Colm and totally thought …