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In Food & Drink

Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls in the Air Fryer

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Buffalo. Chicken. Two of our family’s favorite words. There is rarely an event with my in-laws that does not include buffalo chicken dip, especially during football season. It is their love language, and who would blame them?

I was planning to make cheeseburger egg rolls for dinner one night, but then realized I didn’t have any ground beef. Then the idea hit me- buffalo chicken egg rolls! It sounded amazing, and to be honest, they are!

I prefer to use our air fryer because of the crispiness and the lack of oil. If you’d rather fry the egg rolls in the pan, you are welcome to do so. Just know these directions are specifically for the air fryer.

I know the folding process can be confusing, so here are some step-by-step photos to help!

1. Lay in a diamond shape facing you with filling in the middle.
2. Wet fingers and trace the edges. Then fold the bottom of diamond up.
Fold in the sides and press shut.
Roll up and repeat!

I hope you give these a try, because once you make them, you won’t be able to stop! Your guests will love you forever. Be prepared to host for every game after your family and friends try these.

In Food & Drink

Pumpkin Cream Pie

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Fall is finally on it’s way! I am all about cool breezes, warm colors, and pumpkin everything! Our house is covered in cute pumpkin decor and we love the flavors of the season.

I created this pie because I love pumpkin everything, except for pumpkin pie! I don’t know if it’s the texture, but I’ve never been a huge fan. Crazy, I know. Pies just scream ‘fall’ to me, so I wanted to make a pumpkin pie hybrid. May I introduce….the pumpkin cream pie!

This simple pie just requires a quick crust bake, followed by chilling in the fridge for a few hours. It is a great make ahead pie for a party. I love the creaminess to this pie filling and the warm spices, but what I love MOST of all is the crust. I considered making a graham cracker crust, but then I remembered fall has a very special cookie all its own- the spiced wafer. Also known as ginger snaps, the spiced wafer is the most flavorful, crispy yet chewy cookie out there. I knew I had to make it the base of this fall inspired pie.

I hope you give this pie a try because you will love it! Do you have a favorite pie? Or a favorite pumpkin-flavored fall treat?

In Community, Food & Drink, Hospitality

Host a Killer Fantasy Football Draft

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Every year, my husband’s family hosts the big family fantasy football draft. It is incredibly competitive but so much fun! His aunt and uncles host the event at their vacation home, and in-person attendance is mandatory. No virtual drafting! My husband also participates in a work fantasy football league. They draft online, but we always invite the league to come draft together at our house and have a party. We have so much fun with both drafts, so I thought I’d share how we make them special.

When planning food for the draft, I knew we couldn’t have a fancy sit-down dinner because everyone needed room on the table for their laptops. The food needed to be more of a grab-and-go style so people could fill their plate quickly before their next draft pick. I also didn’t want to make something that required a fork and knife since they are on their laptops. They need 1 hand free.

I decided to make a burger bar- we grilled lots of burgers and set out every topping imaginable so everyone could build their ideal burger. We had 2 types of buns, whole wheat and white seeded buns. Wheat buns make burgers a whole food, right? Next year I think I may get brioche buns and maybe a few pretzel buns. Yum. Anyway, I caramelized some onions ahead of time, cooked a ton of bacon, chopped all the veggies, made some guac, and put the cheeses on platters. Then I made fun chalk board signs with descriptions for popular types of burgers. Here are some examples. Feel free to write out any favorite combinations your family likes or from your favorite restaurant.

Cowboy Burgers: bacon, onion straws, pepperjack cheese, BBQ sauce, and lettuce

California Burger: bacon, cheddar, guacamole, lettuce, tomato

The Classic: lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup, mayo

You get the idea. The possibilities are endless. I also made a batch of brownies for dessert and cut them into football shapes. Then I just added a bit of white icing. They were cute and easy to grab! I made a lemon pie too, because why not? Not on theme but still good 🙂

We also like to decorate for the drafts. This includes some football-themed paper goods, tablecloths, and a draft board. You can find these online. They are fun to have hung up so everyone can look at each team’s players after the draft and give first impressions. Filling in the draft board is a fun job for a spectator at the draft, like a significant other or relative that is there for the party but doesn’t need to draft themselves.

Even if your draft is online, I recommend getting together for the event. Computers are great, but nothing beats being face to face.

In Food & Drink

The Perfect Charcuterie Board

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Charcuterie boards are a great appetizer for parties or surprise guests. They look beautiful and there’s something for everyone. All you need is a platter, a few small cups, and easy ingredients.

The main ingredients for a charcuterie board are meats and cheeses. I like to get a variety of Spanish and Italian meats and a mix of soft and hard cheeses. Goat cheese and brie and great options for soft cheese. Some good, crowd-pleasing options for hard cheese would be cheddar, gouda, and a spicy cheese like pepper jack.

Some other good snacks for the board are fruits. I include fresh and dried options, like grapes and dried apricots. I also love to add olives in a small cup so the briny juice doesn’t leak all over the platter. You can also add nuts to the platter, but with nut allergies in the family I always make sure to put them in separate cups or off to the side of the board.

Charcuterie Goodies

Arranging the charcuterie board is the most fun! I like to start with a wheel of brie smack in the middle of the platter. It may be because brie is my favorite cheese, but I think brie centers the board nicely. Then I place the meats in different piles on the board, making sure to spread them out. I try to fluff them a bit so they are easier to grab with tongs or a toothpick. They stick together if you leave them lined like they are in the packaging. Next, I spread out my cheeses, doing my best to have hard and soft options from any angle. I fill in the rest with my fruit and olives, trying to spread out the colors so the platter is balanced. For example, I don’t put my white cup of olives directly next to the brie, and I don’t put the orange apricots next to orange cheese. It just makes the presentation nicer when the colors are distributed throughout the board. Finally, I take fresh herbs to line the different foods so there’s not too much cross-contamination. This ensures people can take anything off the board as well as offers a nice green color to the platter.

I typically serve the charcuterie board with fresh sliced baguettes and various crackers. These can be put on the side, or if you don’t have quite as much variety on your board, you can place them right on.

I love the versatility of charcuterie boards. They allow for creativity and are easy to create with things I can store at home. I keep meats, cheeses, and olives in my fridge, apricots and crackers in the pantry, and we usually have fruit. If someone stops by to visit unexpectedly, this is a great spread to put out that will make your guests feel special.

In Food & Drink

Spicy Creamy Bowties

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Spicy Creamy Bowties

Looking for a quick meal that is simple and delicious? You’ve come to the right place! These Spicy Creamy Bowties are a fun alternative to typical pasta with red sauce. This recipe requires minimal effort and packs lots of delicious flavor.

I created this dish to satisfy our love of spicy food with the decadence of a cream sauce. I enjoy a good alfredo dish, but the sauce can be so heavy and high in calories. This sauce marries the richness of a cream sauce with the flavorful punch of a spicy sauce. It takes no time at all and the results are so worth it!

I start out by boiling water for the pasta and sautéing garlic in olive oil. Be careful not to burn the garlic!

Can you smell that garlic??

I then add the red sauce, spices, cream, and cheese. Give it a good stir and check the spice level. Don’t go full throttle on the red pepper at first. Taste it and add as desired.

Yummmmm

Cook the pasta in boiling water according to box instructions. While the pasta cooks, let that sauce simmer and take in the delicious smells.

Who doesn’t love parmesan cheese?

Once the pasta is cooked, go ahead and throw it in that decadent sauce. Add the chicken or meat if you desire. Both are excellent. This recipe is sauce-dominant, so go ahead and serve this dish with lots of fresh, crusty bread to dip it in.

Bowties looking saucy

Let me know if you give it a try! Bon appetit!

In Food & Drink

Harry Potter Cupcakes

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My sorting hat cupcake with my @SweetSequels Harry Potter tee!

I was never a great reader growing up. I had my favorite books growing up, but I was never a book worm. Then, when I was 22, I read the Harry Potter series. I fell in love with the characters and the story. This began a love for reading I never had before, and I’m so grateful.

I first made these for my sister-in-law’s bachelorette party. She loves Harry Potter so her party was HP themed. My college roommate is also a big Harry Potter fan, so when I found out we were seeing each other on July 31st, Harry Potter’s birthday, I knew I had to make my sorting hat cupcakes!

Cupcakes baked and cooled

You can use any cupcake recipe you want. Box mix is fine. I mostly like to bake from scratch, but these cupcakes are more steps than usual, so no judgment on the box mix. Bake your cupcakes according to the instructions. While the cupcakes bake, pour out a family-sized bag of M&Ms and separate them by color. Go ahead and eat the brown and orange ones, or save them for later 🙂

Filling the holes to sort some Hufflepuffs 🙂

Once the cupcakes are baked and cooled, hollow out the centers of the cupcakes. I made 18 cupcakes, so I filled 3 cupcakes with green M&Ms, then 5 cupcakes each with blue, red, and yellow M&Ms. I knew the kids would be bummed to get Slytherin so I made less green. No one wants to be “that bad guy, Malfoy”. Cover the holes back up with the cupcake centers. Then cover the top with frosting. Store bought or homemade is fine. Flavors are also flexible, just make sure you cannot see any M&M colors sticking out. I used yellow cupcakes with chocolate frosting.

All cupcakes filled and frosted

Here comes my favorite part! I bought little individual caramels to form into sorting hats! Each hat is made of 2 caramels, so 36 total. I unwrapped about 10 caramels at a time and put them in the microwave for 10 seconds so they were easy to form. I shaped the first caramel into a disc shape for the base of the hat. Then I stretched the second caramel into the top of the hat with a bend to the side. I pushed the two pieces together while they’re still pliable. Finally, I used a butter knife to indent two eyes and a mouth onto the hats and placed them on top of the cupcakes. I love how they turned out!

Forming the sorting hats! They don’t have to be perfect. Just have fun with it!

The sorting was so much fun! I was happy to get Gryffindor! If you try these let me know what house you get! Happy sorting!

Ready to sort!
*sorting hat voice* Gryffindor!
In Food & Drink

My Favorite Meatballs

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My Favorite Meatballs

These are my all-time favorite meatballs. They are easy to make, full of flavor, and perfect for any occasion.

I’ve made these meatballs for small dinner parties, potluck events, big Christmas parties, and countless family events. They are great on their own, on a roll, over pasta, or served with roasted potatoes. I love the simple prep and setting them in the crockpot- you leave them to cook for hours and they maintain their juiciness. No dry meatballs!

Nice and browned 🙂

The most important thing is to brown the meatballs on both sides. Just broil them in the oven to give them a bit of a crust so they don’t fall apart in the crock pot. Also, roll the meatballs gently so the meat doesn’t become tough!

Served up with potatoes and broccoli

These meatballs can be frozen after they’ve been broiled and cooled. I like to make a batch and freeze them into servings of 4 so we can have them for dinner and lunch the next day. So simple!

Separated into small portions for the freezer

I hope you enjoy them!

In Food & Drink

Fool-Proof Sausage and Peppers

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I love recipes that require almost no work or skill and have great flavor. Today’s meal is sausage and peppers. This meal is a perfect example of simple cooking. You can have this prepped in 10 minutes and leave it in the crock pot for hours. It only gets better!

I use 2 packs of packaged sausages, usually one hot and one sweet. I start by heating up my pan on medium, and while the pan is heating I make a thin slice over each sausage to remove the casings. This is not a requirement, I just prefer no casings. They won’t hurt you, so you don’t have to remove them.

Next I brown the sausages on all sides in the pan. I want them to get a bit of a crust. Once the sausages are done I just throw them in the crock pot. I slice 2 red peppers, 2 green peppers, and 1 onion. Toss the veggies in with the sausages and turn the crock pot to low for 4 hours.

There are some variations. I think they come out perfectly as is, but if you want them to be in more juice you can add some water or chicken broth. I also know some people who add a can of diced tomatoes for another veggie flavor. You can experiment and see what you like!

Freezer ready 🙂

Sausage and peppers is a versatile meal. It can be served at dinner with rice, polenta, or potatoes. It’s also great on some fresh rolls at a party. If you’re low carb, you can also eat them plain! No matter what you decide, I guarantee your belly will be satisfied.

*You can also let the sausages cool and store ingredients in the freezer for a quick crock pot meal later!

Enjoy!

In All Things Home, Food & Drink, Hospitality

Homemade Happy Hour

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Bonjour! I’m going to reminisce a bit about our trip to Paris! We had a beautiful week in the City of Lights in April 2018 and I still dream about our days there.

We experienced a charming culture filled with so much history and tradition. We saw some of those most gorgeous architecture and ate some seriously delectable food. Usually when we return from a trip we reflect on our time there, discussing the cultural differences we really enjoyed. One of our favorite things was the pace of meals at dinnertime. Whenever we went out to eat people seemed to dine for hours. They would order wine and appetizers, then more wine and soup, then more wine and dinner, then dessert with coffee or a cognac. People just sit back, relax, and keep dinner casual. They seemed so focused on the friends around them, never rushing to get somewhere. When you have dinner, you are giving your whole night to your friends. It is lovely. There’s something so peaceful about slowing down and enjoying the company of others uninterrupted. No one is checking their watches and calling for the check. 

We wanted to incorporate some of this casual dining into our routine at home. We knew we couldn’t swing regular all night 4-course dinners, but we could incorporate a happy hour! We started when we got home. Now we have happy hour every Friday night when Tom gets home from work. I put on my ‘French Cooking Music’ pandora station, fix us some snacks, and make cocktails in our fancy glasses. We sit back and talk about our weeks. This is an hour with no screens or distractions, just the two of us (and any guests who may come over) spending time together and winding down with a fun beverage. It’s a great way to connect, slow down, and love each other. When the weather is good we enjoy our drinks out back on the patio. There’s really no wrong way to have a happy hour. I’ve started experimenting with unique drinks (link). It’s fun to try new things and you don’t need a ton of ingredients.

Gin & Tonics with some homemade apps 🙂
In All Things Home, Food & Drink

Why a Coffee Bar Will Bring You Joy!

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Whenever I hear the word coffee, I feel my shoulders relax and a smile comes across my face. There’s just something so comforting in a cup of coffee. Is it the delicious taste? Is it my total dependency on it to function? Maybe both. No matter what the reason, coffee is a staple in many households.

Latte Love

We had a small, empty corner in our dining room that housed a chair that turned into a catch-all for our junk. It was a bit of an eyesore and a poor use of space. So, with a bit of Joanna Gaines inspiration, I made plans to make a coffee bar! What would be more hospitable than a special corner stocked with everything coffee and tea related? I started with an old sewing table that belonged to my grandmother. It was pretty beat up so I cleaned it off and gave it a fresh coat of paint. My darling husband gave me this Magnolia mug rack for my birthday. We got a small piece of granite that looks like carrera marble for the table top. We hung the mug rack and set up the table with my espresso maker, Chemex, and a mug full of spoons. We were in business! I loved the progress we made, but I knew we could do better. The blank wall above the table had potential. I went browsing around a local antique shop and found some amazing brackets. They were perfect for some shelves. They were black, but a bit beat up so they looked vintage. They matched the sewing table base perfectly. I just bought some wood, cut it, stained it, and attached the wood to the brackets. Then we hung our shelves. It looked great! Then I got to style them. Over the summer I found some lovely glass canisters at an antique shop down the shore (East Coast speak for a town by the ocean, usually in NJ). I filled them with coffee beans and put them on my top shelf. I used the bottom shelf to house my charming Downton Abbey teapot from World Market, as well as a sugar bowl and my precious little cow creamer. I love it!

Our dream coffee bar!

The coffee bar is always a statement. People love the design and complement our antiques and various mugs. The coffee bar really gets to shine for brunch. We love hosting brunch with friends and family. It’s the best time of day for people with young kids- it doesn’t require a sitter and it’s usually before afternoon naps happen. Everyone lines up to use our coffee bar and takes time picking out the perfect mug. It also makes the daily ritual special. I love seeing the cute layout as I pass it during the day.

A side view of my cherished mugs!

There’s also flexibility. For example, we hosted a Quizzo night at our house a few months ago. My husband hired our area’s quizzo queen to come and we invited friends to come and form teams. It was so fun! For this night, I switched out the coffee bar for a wet bar. I brought down all the liquor, mixers, and pretty cocktail glasses and displayed them on the shelves and table. I put all the coffee supplies away. I also had an ice bucket out so people could make themselves a cocktail in between rounds. Everything they needed was in one place, and it looked pretty. I don’t want to seem overly focused on people’s reactions.

Our wet bar from Quizzo night

It’s not about making your house look perfect or magazine-worthy. It’s about hospitality. I believe having everything our guests need in a clean, attractive setup makes them comfortable. It’s just my way of loving them. I go to the trouble of making the little details nice because I want anyone who comes through our door to feel valued and loved. It’s my way of saying, “You’re always welcome here, and we’re so glad you came.”